When the clock strikes 12 a.m. on Halloween night, the seasonal scares transition without any warning into feelings more holly and jolly. The snow begins to fall and the temperature decreases, but without something to celebrate, the season can get to a lot of people’s heads.

The Christmas spirit has the power to fight the dreary cold and unite people of all backgrounds. Without it, we will all succumb to a winter slump one way or another. Although Thanksgiving is still on the horizon, the countdown to Christmas has officially begun.

Setting up early for Christmas itself is inherently harmless. It reminds us of the traditions and interactions with our family and friends to get us excited about winter. At Augustana College, students like senior Veronica Peterson are decorating early to get into the Christmas spirit before they go home to celebrate.

Peterson said she added her Christmas decor to her room as soon as Halloween weekend was over. She put up her DIY, beaded bow canvas and placed her ceramic, lighted mini Christmas tree and present box on her dresser. Before Halloween had even begun, Peterson said she bought her decorations in late September at Hobby Lobby.

For students specifically, Christmas time means a break from the chaos. We come right out of finals, and we need our well-deserved break. The holidays are our escape from it all, because, without an outlet, we will all get burnt out from the repetition.

“It gives you something to look forward to,” Peterson said. “We are excited to go home to our families, so it is a light at the end of the tunnel.”

Although Christmas is primarily celebrated as a religious holiday, that does not mean the spirit cannot be shared. A lot of people can get really bummed during the holidays, especially if they do not celebrate.

While their friends are out getting presents, the people who do not celebrate just sit and watch as their friends have a good time. That is the unfair part of Christmas, because it is not everyone’s tradition. Despite this, we can all find a way to share the feeling of the Christmas spirit without any religion.

Similarly to how people celebrate Friendsgiving, Christmas can bring people together to enjoy each other’s company. For example, First-Year Kami Jarvill said she had an experience where she separated the spirit of Christmas from the tradition for her friend.

“One year, my friends and I celebrated a ‘Friendsmas’ for my friend whose family isn’t huge into Christmas,” Jarvill said. “It was a good time to go out and make cookies and have other little festivities.”

Even if we don’t all share the same beliefs, we can still take part in each other’s celebrations, like Christmas, in our own unique ways. Many traditions, like exchanging gifts or enjoying a festive meal, don’t require any religious context.

With so many ways to come together, it’s no surprise that people look forward to the season’s arrival.

If someone wants to start celebrating early and prepare for another year of fond memories, there’s nothing wrong with that. It might feel too soon for some, but as far as I’m concerned, let it snow.
Veronica Peterson is a previous employee of the Augustana Observer.