Last year Bonaventure waited until Dec. 3 for the tree lighting
Photo courtesy of Jack McCann
BY: LEAH ANSON, STAFF OPINION WRITER
It’s beginning to look a lot like… maybe Christmas? The holiday seasons have officially started for some students on campus, whether it’s listening to Christmas music or just being in the holiday spirit. However, I often wonder when is the correct time to listen to Christmas music or even start to celebrate the holidays?
For some, getting into the holiday spirit early is a necessity. “It gives people something to look forward to and a sense of joy,” said Madeline McConnell, a sophomore elementary education major. Christmas time, for most, is a joyful period that brings a sense of comfort and warmth that other holidays don’t bring. That feeling of comfortability and home is a feeling called nostalgia.
“People feel more nostalgic during the holidays because many memories are reawakened and relationships renewed,” said Dr. Krystine Batcho, in “Tis the Season for Nostalgia.”
While nostalgia has both positive and negative effects, the majority of the time it’s beneficial for your mental health. Having that feeling of nostalgia can reduce anxiety and depression. So, while some think celebrating Christmas early is a bad thing, it can be used as a tool to look forward to or remind people of home.
Christmas and the holidays can also be a triggering time for some. Whether it’s the music or bright lights of the holidays, it can be too much for certain people. If memories of the holidays were challenging growing up, then why would it be any different now? According to a poll on Yik Yak, 187 students voted that Christmas music should be played after Thanksgiving and 155 students voted that Christmas is acceptable on November 1.
“I think when Christmas music starts being played before Thanksgiving it undermines the holiday and its meaning,” said Sophia Wolf, a sophomore accounting major.
Sometimes the music and the holiday spirit can feel like too much, too soon. Mariah Carey’s “All I want for Christmas is You” can only be played so many times before it starts getting annoying. However, Christmas music does trigger that feeling of nostalgia that makes us reminisce on our childhoods, a simpler time for some.
For me, the holidays give a sense of home that I so desperately need throughout the semester. The holidays are a time to be with family and eat good food. I think about my dad’s cooking and my mom’s obsession with wrapping gifts. Nonetheless, I feel as if Christmas and Thanksgiving are a bittersweet time; a time to remember the past loved ones who can’t be at the table to celebrate with the rest of us. Frank Sinatra’s rendition of “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” takes me back to my childhood holidays. Though it’s bittersweet to listen to now, the song fills me with nostalgia and gratitude, reminding me of the wonderful memories and experiences of the holiday season.
ansonlr24@bonaventure.edu
