Opinion: Does Christmas start after Halloween or Thanksgiving?
It’s an eternal debate – does the Christmas season start after Thanksgiving, or right after Halloween? Here, two Sabre editors share their differing opinions.
The Thanksgiving season should be acknowledged
By Emily Burke
If you’re anything like me, there’s nothing more baffling than seeing Christmas decorations pop up without warning in the windows and aisles of local stores the day after Halloween. Thanksgiving seems to be the national holiday often overlooked by corporations, as companies instead choose to sell Christmas decorations extra early in the season.
There are a lot of ways to celebrate Thanksgiving. As students, we even get several school days off to enjoy the low-key holiday. While many people choose to spend this time with family and loved ones, it’s also possible to see friends, rest, or travel depending on preference.
However, the history of the holiday has created a point of controversy for the country. The general history of Thanksgiving usually describes a period of peace and feasting between Pilgrims and Native Americans that celebrated the colonists’ first harvest. Over the years, some have come to consider the holiday as an unjust celebration of the cultural genocide of Native Americans by colonizers, while others believe the holiday is simply about giving thanks for your blessings and participating in the Native American tradition of wopila, or giving thanks for your blessings and community. Some groups, like the American Association for the Advancement of Atheism, oppose the federal holiday because it often references giving thanks to God and contradicts a separation between church and state.
The conflict surrounding Thanksgiving and its meaning only makes it more important that we acknowledge the holiday and its purpose. Despite only receiving a fraction of the attention the Christmas season does, about 85% of people in the U.S. still celebrate the holiday. To me, Thanksgiving in its simplest form is just about giving thanks for what you have and being around friends and family. Even if it’s not as commercialized or celebrated as Christmas, I think it’s better to recognize and have an opinion on the holiday than to disregard it altogether.
The Christmas season begins after Halloween
By Amalia Villegas Vega
Every year on Nov. 1, the debate begins. When does the Christmas season start? The day after Halloween, or the day after Thanksgiving? In my opinion, Christmas season begins as soon as Halloween ends.
The Christmas season is packed with fun and excitement. Christmas is the perfect time to go ice skating or skiing. The snow and winter weather set the mood for the season. Even gathering around the fireplace and drinking hot chocolate is a great Christmas activity with friends and family.
Christmas music and movies are the greatest form of holiday-themed entertainment. There is no Thanksgiving music and few Thanksgiving movies. For Christmas, however, you can turn on the radio and listen to holiday hits for hours. You can watch one of the many Christmas-themed movies on Netflix. Christmas movies and music bring happiness and memories.
Lastly, Christmas brings people together and celebrates love. Families and friends gather to celebrate this wonderful holiday. It is also a season of forgiveness and togetherness. Every culture and family has different Christmas traditions that celebrate our differences, but also our similarities.
