When I was on The Bert Show, I held several strong opinions. Yet there was one that was met with decisive resistance – and that debate not only came up every year but continues to this day. Since it is the holiday season, I feel the need to readdress this issue, and that is the proper timeframe to celebrate each holiday.
Discipline, or self-control, is applauded in many areas, including sports, health, and education. We expect in others and ourselves the ability to follow rules and refrain from self-indulgence. However, all bets seem to be off in the Fall, and we turn this festive occasion into a holiday free-for-all with flavors and decorations of all kinds clashing in the streets.
Even though this is education received as a young child, and it is highlighted in every modern-day calendar – both in print and digital – let me remind you of when each of these holidays lands.
• Halloween is on October 31st.
• Thanksgiving is on the 4th Thursday of November.
• Christmas is on December 25th.
• New Year’s Day is on January 1st.
The proper timeframe to decorate and publicize your excitement is during the month in which the holiday takes place. That does not mean we get to hang lights in July or consume pumpkin spice before kids get back to school.
 It truly gets on my nerves to see Christmas movies in October, Halloween attire in August, or the complete oversight of Thanksgiving altogether. Many argue that those activities are up to the individual, and what if the person needs that Christmas spirit ahead of time? I say as a society that has attempted to maintain these traditions in succession, not only are you messing up the timeline for everyone else, but you’re also missing an opportunity for months-long feel-good activities.
There is a reason the holidays are special, and it is because they don’t happen throughout the year – and quite frankly, they aren’t meant to. When the sun starts setting early and the crisp, cool air makes its way into our bones, there is a need for celebratory distraction. Sure, you may not personally enjoy every holiday, but that doesn’t mean your interest has to overtake the calendar.
Halloween is a time for light-hearted creativity and role play for both kids and adults. Thanksgiving only happens in this country and is a time to give thanks for what you have in your life, sharing the blessing of a warm meal with those you love. Christmas for the religious is a time to celebrate the source of that faith, and for those not connected to the religion, it can be a magical time of good cheer and light displays. New Year’s Day is an emotionally cleansing time with hope for better things to come. Vibrant colors aren’t the ones watered down, which is what happens when something is celebrated too long.
Instead of taking an individual approach to the holidays, maybe it’s time for us to try and bring more of a community spirit to the season. Let each holiday have its place and attention. So enjoy the peppermint hot chocolates, presents, ugly sweaters, Christmas trees, and wreaths.
Just be sure to get them down before the next holiday rolls around.