The holiday season means different things for different people. To some, it means a magical feeling in the air. To others, it means stress. The season poses Cindy Lou Whos against Grinches alike, forcing both the enthusiastic and the enervated to make difficult concessions. Whether you are the grumpy Ebenezer Scrooge before the visit of his past, present and future ghosts or the hopeful Ebenezer Scrooge afterward, I promise that these common things about the holidays will get you in a better mood and help you to shake off some of that holiday anxiety.
Something that I do know about the holidays: Christmas music before December is a sensitive subject.
Something that I do not know: Why have people been telling me not to listen to Christmas music before December?
Although Halloween and Thanksgiving are both perfectly valid holidays, the world of department stores and entertainment subconsciously argue that Christmas is far more valid. Before the leaves even begin to fall, popular stores are playing Christmas music and beginning to stock their shelves with ornaments and shiny lights.
Personally, once Halloween has passed, my mind has moved on to Christmas. The black spiders go into the bin and the stockings come out. I do know, however, that my sentiment is not accepted worldwide. Whether you accept my sentiment or not, it does not matter because it is finally the 12th month of the year. We can all shed the weight of this small difference and let the uninterrupted Christmas music begin.
Something that I do know about the holidays: The food is one of the best parts.
Something that I do not know: How to make the best fudge.
This fact is hard to dispute. Food during the holiday season is one thing that we can all look forward to. Celebrations on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day call out to grandmas, moms, dads, aunts, distant cousins and anyone else that can cook to make sugar cookies, chip dip or a great honey baked ham.
I have never taken part in the great cook-off that only results in happiness and full stomachs. However, this year I vow to join it. I will try to turn the ‘don’t know’ into a ‘do know.’ Not only will I learn to make fudge, I want to learn how to make peppermint sugar cookies, red velvet cupcakes, cake pops and more. Get excited and let the smell of baking fill every house.
Something that I do know about the holidays: Whether it is with family or friends, it is always better to spend the holidays with someone you care about.
Something that I do not know: How to split a limited amount of time amongst many different people.
Take a second to think of the holiday traditions that your family takes part in. For example, my mom and I dedicate every minute of Black Friday to covering our house in Christmas decorations. Now take a second to think of the same traditions without the people you typically do them with. The picture is not as jolly. The people that you do the traditions with are the most important part. The fact that I am so loved and able to love so much that I have trouble trying to figure out who to be with when is the least of my problems.
If anything gets you excited for the holidays, that should be it. No matter if you have been listening to Christmas music since August or dreading the return of “All I Want for Christmas is You,” prepping your favorite recipes or gearing up to eat your grandma’s fudge, it is finally time. It is time to be with your favorite people.
Out of all the amazing things about the holidays, I for one, cannot wait to spend time with my family. Happy holidays, Xavier. I hope that it is a good one.
Emily Price is a sophomore psychology major. She is a staff writer for the Newswire from Miamisburg, Ohio.