As soon as Halloween passes, it seems the holiday season begins. On Nov. 1, commercials go from creatures with fangs, claws, and scales to sleigh bells and holiday sales. Malls become decorated with lights and bows. Here at The Outlook, our editors have different perspectives on the holiday season.
Most of the editors celebrate Christmas, but one editor said, “My aunt and her family are Jewish, so we often join them in celebrating Hanukkah as well.”
The question of when exactly the holiday season begins among our editors resulted in Black Friday being the beginning of the holiday season. One editor said, “In my house, the countdown to Christmas starts on Black Friday. My family and I put up the tree and decorate for Christmas. Plus, that’s when the radio has the Christmas music on full blast.”
The editor continued, “I have friends that decorate and start listening to Christmas music as early as Nov. 1 and I know that they’d hate me for saying this, but they should cut back on the Christmas a bit. As much as I love the music and the nostalgia, having Christmas decorations out before we even finish Halloween rushes the holidays.”
Another editor agreed and said, “The holiday season should begin on Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving. It is crazy that we see holiday stuff in stores in September and October. The same goes with holiday music.”
Another editor felt similarly, “The holiday season, for me, begins in October. I don’t celebrate Halloween anymore, but all of the fall vibes leading up to it are great. Then once Halloween is over, it’s onto Thanksgiving. I’m a believer in not calling it Christmas season until after Thanksgiving.”
Although, many of the editors feel the holidays symbolize themes of joy, gratitude, and spending time with family and friends. One editor said, “Holidays mean a sense of togetherness and gratitude, coupled with some self-reflection about the past year and celebrating it with family.”
However, many of the editors feel that this jolly season might be becoming too commercialized. Another team member said, “The holidays are certainly consumer-based. Most see the holidays as a time of receiving when it should really be about being thankful and fortunate for all that we have – family and friends.”
Another editor said, “The holidays are definitely too consumer-based. I love buying presents for others, as well as receiving them. But I think it’s so much better to get something small and thoughtful, rather than something expensive. The best present I got last year cost my friend less than $10. Something that I like to do is write a little letter to everyone I love, to go along with their presents. It’s really mushy, but I think sentimentality is the nicest part of the holidays.”
“It’s strange how on Thanksgiving, we celebrate gratitude for the things in our lives, but the very next day, we are already focusing on getting holiday sales and shopping for more,” quipped one editor. “That’s a real paradigm shift.”
Many of the editors felt other cultural winter holidays were not equally represented on campus. Although there are cultural events held for Hanukkah and Kwanzaa, the majority is Christmas-centric. “I’m confident that the University does its best to represent everyone,” said one editor. “Because of the demographics at MU, it likely leans towards Christmas, but everyone is represented in some way.”
Another editor felt the representation of cultural holidays could be improved. “I think that other holidays besides Christmas are recognized, but maybe not completely acknowledged to the campus community. I think the University should work on more inclusion in terms of campus events and celebrations with other holidays.”
The editors felt decorating for winter holidays could be beneficial to students. “People walk around like zombies because they are swamped with finals,” said one editor. “It would be nice if the University decorated campus to lift our spirits up. This is particularly critical for freshmen students who are away from home for the first time.”
One thing several editors liked about the holiday season was the music. “I really love Christmas music, especially Michael Bublé,” said one editor. “I would say the appropriate time to get in the spirit is the day after Thanksgiving. It is not too early, it is not too far away from the holidays. Plus, at that point, fewer people judge me.”
However, one editor offered a very Grinch-y opinion of holiday music and said, “Holiday music gets under my skin. I’m just not a big fan of hearing it everywhere, and we do hear it everywhere.”
Regardless of which holiday you celebrate and how you celebrate, The Outlook wishes you a happy holiday season!