When many people think of Christmas time, they think of sleigh rides through the snow, hot chocolate and decorating the Christmas tree during the first snowfall. So then why is it November 1st and every other lawn in the neighborhood is festooned with blinking lights, fake reindeer and Santa’s of all shapes and sizes when snow hasn’t even fallen yet? How come when people are going food shopping for thanksgiving dinner they’re hearing every Christmas song ever put on air?

It’s almost uncanny how fast Christmas time tries to barge into our lives before we’re even prepared for it. In my opinion, more people should just wait for Thanksgiving to pass before they start getting ready for Christmas.

Well, Christmas is a joyful time for many, the most wonderful time of the year. Christmas is the time to get gifts for loved ones, for making gingerbread and watching “Home Alone”. It’s understandable why some people just can’t wait. As someone who enjoys Christmas, and decorating for it, I can understand many people’s excitement around the holiday, but I personally, find joy in decorating the house after Thanksgiving.

The time it takes for me to sleep off the feast of turkey and potatoes is also enough to put me into the right mood as the weather gets colder and snow is looking more and more likely. I find myself getting more and more excited to dig out the garland and mistletoe from my basement simply because I’m in the right mood for it. For me and many other Americans, hanging up garland while the Thanksgiving stuffing is cooking in the oven, or listening to Christmas carols waiting for the pies to set, just doesn’t seem right.

Though many people don’t have time to decorate their homes after Thanksgiving, and that is all fine and well, but many people forget they don’t need to decorate their entire home like a winter wonderland in a day or even a week to get into the holiday mood, even just putting the stockings up, or buying a new set of Christmas pajamas can also rouse up the Christmas spirit. Or even just shopping for gifts or the thought of giving to family and friends.

I understand the enthusiasm that so many people hold surrounding this magical holiday, and they can still enjoy this time of the year. Still, I’d recommend waiting until after celebrating what you’re thankful for to get into the Christmas spirit.