The date is Nov. 10. As I flip through radio stations, I’m buffeted with peppy holiday-themed ads and jingly Christmas songs. I finally land on a station playing a 2000s song, but it quickly switches to Mariah Carey’s “All I want for Christmas.” I can’t handle it anymore.

Driving through Houston in November, one can see a variety of outdoor decorations for Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas. Clearly, many families have spent hours decorating their houses, or paid someone to do so.

There’s just one issue. It’s still eighty degrees outside. 

Halloween and Thanksgiving are being unfairly infringed upon, and every year, Christmas gains ground on November and even October, with the music and the nativity scenes appearing sometimes before Halloween. 

Fall is a sacred time, and these decorations are engulfing the gradual connection from summer into winter, or whatever semblance of a winter Houston has. 

So, when is the right time to start getting into the Christmas spirit? If you think anytime before Thanksgiving, you are most definitely wrong.  

Thanksgiving has been the blockade to stop winter holidays from claiming November, and Halloween respectively for October. However, Christmas sales and decorations have been promoted before Thanksgiving in recent years. This pattern has only intensified with the change in supply chains during the pandemic—stores have moved holidays schedules and sales to start earlier in the year.  

It is crucial that we take the time to be grateful in November before weeks of outrageous consumerism as we find gifts for loved ones. 

The Americanized version of Christmas is very inclusive to people of any religion—it is more of a time to reflect and value loved ones. While I agree this season of contemplation is important, the value associated with the fall holidays can often be overlooked. 

Where would we be without the annual fight between that one aunt and your cousin at Thanksgiving dinner?

Seriously, the fall holidays have important traditions too. Halloween plays a big role in nearly every childhood. I fondly recall dressing up as my favorite character or recent fascination. 

Thanksgiving is also a much needed break from the rigor of the fall semester. Aside from that, it should be used as a gate between the fall and Christmas season. Am I gatekeeping Christmas? Sure. 

The correct time to spring into the Christmas season is the weekend after Thanksgiving—around December 1. You’ve likely already said goodbye to extended family, and it’s the perfect time to set up any decorations while you wait for the impending barrage of assignments headed your way. 

Whether you enjoy going all out on decorations or a minimalistic design, seeing the joy of the holiday season creates happy memories for most people. 

My advice to you for the holiday season is to get excited, enjoy it, but don’t hype them up so much that the holidays let us down. 

Happy Holidays everyone!