Now we’re into December there’s only one thing on everybody’s mind: Christmas. With Christmas lights everywhere in the city centre and the appearance of the John Lewis ad in every advert break of every show on television, it appears that the topic of Christmas is unavoidable.
But with some retailers stocking Christmas cards and decorations as early as July, it may seem that the topic of Christmas is more of a burden than a joy. After all, who wants to think about chestnuts roasting on an open fire when (hopefully) roasting on a beach in the middle of summer. And we all know that one person who mentions Christmas as soon as the weather starts getting a little chilly, a mention that is usually met with a long suffering groan and a request to refrain from humming Christmas songs this early in the year. So when is an appropriate time to talk about Christmas?
As a child, Christmas is one of the highlights of the year. We all remember the struggle to remain on Santa’s ‘nice list’. But it’s safe to assume that most of the people reading this are not children, and whilst Christmas is a great time of year for most, it’s not everyone’s cup of tea. Even the die-hard fanatics are kind enough to withhold the jingle bells until it’s time to get the scarves out. After all, with Christmas already consuming the month of December for most, it would be a shame to drag out the festive cheer for longer than is necessarily needed, otherwise the thrill will be ruined, and those ugly Christmas jumpers will fade from a holiday laugh into just another ugly piece of knitwear.
“Even the die-hard fanatics are kind enough to withhold the jingle bells until it’s time to get the scarves out”
That being said, to most, Christmas is what winter is all about. It’s easy to see why some fall into festive fever as soon as the cold weather hits. When the rain is lashing down and the wind is on a face freezing level of coldness, the thought of roast dinner, Christmas trees and the sight of fairy lights reflecting in puddles on the pavement is enough to put the magic back into the harshness of winter season, especially when it feels like there is no end in sight. Also with university breaking up for the holidays mid-December, the rush to have an early Christmas so that it may be celebrated with university friends, and the pressure to go on a dodgy night out dressed as Santa, may have us talking about Christmas a lot sooner than we would like. Is this necessarily a bad thing? Many would say no. Christmas is about celebrating with friends and family, so if that involves constructing a Christmas tree out of beer cans in the middle of November in order to make the most of the festive season with the university family, then so be it. If you’re a renowned grinch this time of year, maybe just take one for the team and embrace the fervor of the Christmas enthusiast that every friendship group possesses. After all, it only comes about once a year.
“It’s easy to see why some fall into festive fever as soon as the cold weather hits”
So put on that elf t-shirt and hum those jingles because there’s no denying that Christmas is just around the corner. But whilst it is thoroughly appropriate to be talking about Christmas now, I think we can all agree to leave those sleigh bells silent until the clocks go back and the nights get longer.
Ellis Harris
Photo: jacinta lluch valero via Flickr
