Don’t get me wrong, I adore the holiday season. Peppermint hot chocolate, ice-skating at the McCormick Tribune Ice Rink, dinner at Macy’s Walnut Room, it’s all great.
People’s spirits are high, and a jovial air of love and peace seeps into every nook and cranny of even modern-day-Scrooges’ hearts. It’s a winter wonderland.
However, it’s not winter. It’s the middle of November. The presence of a light powdering of snow does not warrant singing “Frosty the Snowman” all the way to school. Get it together, people.
We have a month and a half of work to do before curling up in our Snuggie for days on end. It’s tempting to do so now, but be warned, the only thing that could drop faster than the thermometer will be your 2nd quarter grades.
No one wants to come to terms with poor academic performance when they could be taking part in winter festivities.
Putting up wreaths in November, I wouldn’t recommend it. The same can be said for leaving out the blow-up Menorah in the front yard until February.
Granted, I will admit to wanting the holidays to linger well-past their welcome. Every year, my parents tell me that we have enough holiday lights. And yet, I always make sure that we end up with more than before. I’ve even started putting them in my room. Yes, it’s gone too far.
With that said, if anticipating the holiday season is what keeps you going, by all means keep moving forward. High school is certainly a tough time for all adolescents, so it can be healthy to take a step back and focus on the upcoming holiday season, a joyous, fond few weeks for most.
I know I did just that my junior year. Just remember that you can create good feelings without bringing out the Christmas tree.
With Thanksgiving only 6 days away, we only have 3 days of school left until a 5-day weekend (including today). And for those early morning shoppers, Black Friday is also drawing near. Some of you may decide to fuel your love for the holiday season by purchasing presents for your family, friends, pets, extended family, friends-of-friends—you get the idea.
Back to Thanksgiving though, it’s a national holiday, too. Let’s give it some respect.
Whether Thanksgiving means spending time with family, cooking tasty dishes, or dedicating your time to helping others, it’s a wonderful day that has the trappings of a first-rate holiday.
I know that we’re all busy managing our high school careers, so what’s one more thing to juggle? If possible, carve out a portion of your time and energy to do something meaningful for others. We spend enough time browsing the internet to be able to spend time volunteering at a soup-kitchen.
The “holiday season” is a ways away, but Thanksgiving is just around the corner.
Prepare yourself for the winter to come by enjoying the impending turkey: not the gingerbread cookies and dreidels.