Reagan Russell – Contributor

Every year, well before Halloween is even over, shelves in stores like Dollarama and Walmart are lined with stocking stuffers and Christmas decorations. As soon as the costumes come off, it seems that everyone is suddenly already in the Christmas spirit. I do understand that in these dreary ‘ber months, sometimes people need something to look forward to. Christmas becomes an easy outlet for this as people anxiously wait to visit family and friends, and more importantly, for the semester to finally come to a close.  

Photo courtesy of Reagan Russell

That brings me to question: When is too soon to decorate for Christmas? 

Growing up in Ontario, I was always told to at least wait until after Remembrance Day before putting up any decorations, but nothing major was put up until December. After speaking with friends who grew up in Quebec, they told me how Remembrance Day is less acknowledged at times in Quebec and how Nov. 11 plays a smaller role in when they bust out their tree. Some have their tree up by mid-November, and others wait until after December 1st.  For my American friends, they typically wait until after their own Thanksgiving and then move right into Christmas time.  

What’s the reason for this? As soon as it’s dark at 5 p.m., is our collective seasonal depression making us so miserable that we need Christmas lights up? Or is it because Instagram and Amazon are drowning us in “Wishlist inspo” and the next decoration trend that we are immediately thrown into the Christmas spirit? 

Now, I’m not saying that I’m not looking forward to the winter holidays. As I grind out paper after paper in the library, Christmas has slowly become the light at the end of the tunnel. With the exam season ending on Dec. 16 this year, Christmas parties and Secret Santa exchanges obviously must be pushed earlier, consequently dragging the holiday season forward.

To answer my earlier question, I think it’s best to wait until the end of November before decorating. Try decorating for the end of the fall season, or the beginning of winter, before Dollarama Christmas villages are littered throughout your apartment.  

As we head towards the end of the semester, I invite you to sit with the seasons and the, at times, underwhelming ‘in between’ moments. Find something fun to do this winter that isn’t centered around commercialized holidays. Let the seasons wash over you instead of trying to rush to the next big thing. Try looking for beauty in the small moments between the next major holiday or event. Practice patience. Maybe the holidays will feel even better when they finally arrive, since you wouldn’t have been microdosing them for two months.