Story by Anna-JO Stuart, Opinion Editor

Photo courtesy of Unsplash

We have just celebrated Halloween, and many people on social media indicated that this was the final milestone before Christmas preparations could begin. November 1 hit and many were ready to put up their festive decorations, and listen to some holiday tunes. I was not one of them.

Don’t get me wrong, I love Christmas. I believe it’s one of the happiest and most magical times of the years. Although, I also enjoy Thanksgiving and believe that November is still the time to celebrate fall and harvest time.

It feels like Thanksgiving is just becoming pre-Christmas, and I think that this takes away from the hype of the Christmas season. If I’m listening to Christmas music and seeing decorations from November 1 onward, it seems so much less special by the time that Christmas actually comes around.

That is why I do not listen to Christmas music or watch holiday films until at least December 1. Even then, I do not amp up my consumption of that festive content until about December 10. Also, it has also been a tradition in my family to put up the Christmas decorations the day after Thanksgiving, and that is how it should be.

We need to stop skipping Thanksgiving, it is a great holiday in its own right. We also need to leave the Christmas preparations and festivities to Christmas time. This time period is the day after Thanksgiving to New Years Day. Enjoy Turkey Day, and keep Christmas special by not blending them together.