It has undoubtedly been a rough year. Between the COVID-19 pandemic, instances of police brutality and the deaths of beloved figures like Kobe Bryant and Ruth Bader Ginsburg, 2020 has likely taken its toll on many of us. And if you need any more reasons to hate this year, there’s a whole song about it, titled “F2020” by Avenue Beat.
But I don’t want to linger on the tragedy of this year, as most of this is already obvious. Instead, I want to look ahead. If there’s anything that can salvage the end of a sad year, it’s a joyous holiday season.
Perhaps you’ve been reminded of this inevitable transition from Halloween to Christmas by Mariah Carey’s Instagram post stating “it’s time.” Or maybe the leaves falling off the trees has triggered this for you.
I’ve already started planning ahead with my family for when we will decorate our house for Christmas. The second I come home for Thanksgiving break, holiday celebrations will be in full swing. One of the first things I’m going to do when I walk through the door is say “Hey Alexa, play Michael Buble’s Christmas album” to my Bose speaker and listen to it in its entirety.
Some may argue Thanksgiving needs to be appreciated without interference from other holidays. I would like to disagree. I’d argue there is no such thing as too many celebrations, especially during the emotional rollercoaster that has been this year.
I’ve been glued to my television for the past week with my eye on the elections. I’ve lost sleep and gotten behind on my homework. I’m sure I’m not the only one who feels this way. Now that the results have been announced, I’m left trying to catch up and get back on track before I go home for a while. Listening to some of my favorite Christmas songs has made completing tasks more tolerable and fun.
There’s nothing quite like cheerful holiday tunes to heal the soul and bring levity to a tough situation. It can’t fix all, but it can bring a smile to your face that can be hard to muster during these times.
Hallmark has already started their Christmas movie schedule, with 40 new movies being released this year. The movies began airing in October and will continue until late December. This provides plenty of content to put you in the holiday mood.
The holiday season will likely look quite different this year, with the pandemic making it difficult to safely gather with family, especially older relatives who may be more susceptible to complications if they caught the coronavirus.
Plans could change and new traditions might be created from an alternative method of celebration. Because of this, I believe it is worthwhile to get in as much holiday cheer in the rest of November as possible.
Obviously I can’t tell anyone how to observe the holidays. Everyone likely has their own preferences and timelines for what they deem appropriate. I just want to suggest there might be a benefit to some early festivity.
If there’s anything we deserve for making it through a rough year, it’s a reason to celebrate.
