If CVS or your local grocery store had anything to say about it, you would have begun decorating for Christmas the second Halloween was over. It was then that the Santa hats and tree ornaments started absurdly appearing on store shelves, begging for people to skip an entire season.
Now some time has passed and Thanksgiving is officially over, so you’ve probably noticed that your neighbors have wasted no time hanging those lights on their houses, setting up the nativity scenes, and sticking Santa and all his reindeer onto their lawns with great enthusiasm.
But a part of you is hesitant. Sure, you’d love to jump into the Christmas season. You don’t want to have the impulse to change the channel when Frosty the Snowman and It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year make their way onto your favorite radio station. You can’t wait to rewatch How the Grinch Stole Christmas and A Miracle on 34th Street. But something feels weird about it all. We’re here to tell you that it’s ok. We understand. Here are five solid reasons you don’t need to cross over to Christmas just yet. These are the reasons you can cling to autumn for just a little bit longer.
5. It’s still warm (in some places)
Ok, if you happen to be in the Northeast, then you’ve already had a snowstorm (or several) by this point. But there are still plenty of parts of the country that are warm. The chill hasn’t really set into the air, and snow is nowhere on the horizon. It’s still beautifully fall, and Christmas seems like a distant idea. If you live in one of these places, enjoy it. Embrace it. Live in the moment. If you don’t live in one of these places, there’s nothing wrong with a little weekend getaway!
4. You’re still raking up leaves
Speaking of it still being fall, your lawn is most definitely still covered with fallen leaves. How are you supposed to even think about setting up Rudolph next to your mailbox if he’d be sitting on a big heap of leaves? It’s not really Christmastime until all the leaves are gone and that grey cool weather has taken hold. Then, and only then, will it feel completely appropriate to jump on the decorating bandwagon.
3. Thanksgiving was early this year
While the moment that Thanksgiving ends is traditionally the time when a lot of people make the transition to the Christmas spirit, the holiday fell extraordinarily early this year. In fact, the earliest that Thanksgiving can possibly fall is November 22, which is what it was this year. (Fun fact: the latest it could ever fall is on November 28, and that’s when it will take place next year.) Nonetheless, we still had more than a week left in November once the turkey carving was done. It doesn’t even feel like Christmas until December anyway.
2. You still have pecan pie and pumpkin cheesecake in the fridge
Speaking of Thanksgiving, you most definitely still have pie and stuffing in your fridge that you are resisting throwing away. You might take a forkful every time you open the door to grab the milk, or maybe you’re ignoring it completely and dreading dumping it in the garbage. But how are you supposed to think about buying Christmas gifts and stringing popcorn when you’re literally still eating your Thanksgiving dinner?
1. Your tree will die by Christmas
If there’s any reason to keep Christmas at bay for at least a little longer, it’s that your real tree simply will not last. If you buy a Douglas fir now, it’ll be fragrant and beautiful. And then you’ll notice more and more needles on the floor, the branches holding the ornaments will begin to droop, it will stop drinking water, and before you know it, you’ll have a petrified stick in the middle of your living room by the time December 25 rolls around.
There’s no rush right now. Take your time jumping into the Christmas spirit.
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