On Friday, November 1, Mariah Carey’s high pitch whistle notes shattered her icy sarcophagus, and the famed and meme-able singer officially kicked off the Christmas season. It’s time: to listen to your favorite holiday tunes, break out the Christmas sweaters, drink eggnog, order peppermint mochas, and go crazy for Christmas.
Photo credit: Newsweek.com
Personally, I began listening to Christmas music a tad earlier than Mariah’s army, and it is one of my favorite times of the year. In my early childhood, we were strictly banned from listening to Christmas music before the end of Thanksgiving day.
But one early November in 2019, in a rebellious act of Christmas spirit, my twin brother and I raided the attic of our home while my mom was out on errands and saturated a single room of the house with every decoration we had.
My mom still recounts the eerie quiet that was over the home on her return. As she investigated the faint rattle of bass-boosted Mannheim Steamroller music, our “Christmas hole” was betrayed. But, by good providence, this was the break in precedent that toppled our family’s former rules.
Now, I freely enjoy Christmas music in mid-October and my mom even sent photos of Thanksgiving-themed Christmas trees in my house this past week! Our family has found friendly compromise and even new enjoyment of this great season.
Now I know some of you skeptics may criticize this approach to the celebration of a season. Perhaps you worry that such early enjoyment will dilute the goodness of a special season. I agree that Christmas is special, and over-celebrating can kill the mood (I’m the first to suggest tearing down decorations as soon as December 25 has passed). However …
When I was younger, the post-Thanksgiving rule felt sufficient to engage in all the things I love to do around Christmas time: my family had sweet time to spend together watching movies, visiting Christmas decorated stores, and celebrating our other traditions.
But my life as a busy student has made celebrating Christmas more difficult. This semester we only have from around December 14 to be well and truly free from school! There just isn’t enough time!
When my brother and I decorated a room in our house criminally early, we discovered that the quality of the season could be preserved by finding new innovations to celebrate in the face of challenges like homework or even leaving home for college. Maybe early Christmas isn’t your cup of tea, but for me, it has brought a sweet rediscovery of nostalgic memories and celebration of the best time of the year.
Thumbnail photo from Newsweek.com