A call to start enjoying the holiday season early

It’s finally getting colder in Spartanburg. Well, at least it is if you count 60 degrees as cold (which I absolutely do). 

Halloween has passed rather uneventfully at Wofford, especially compared to past Halloweekend parties at fraternity houses where partygoers could don costumes they’d been planning since September—you could always spot a few angels, a few devils, and even someone dressed up as a La Croix every once in a while. 

However, with the coronavirus pandemic leading to the shutdown of the Greek Village, like many others I spent this Halloween watching Hocus Pocus and snacking on candy with my friends. But now that October is over, it’s finally time to celebrate Christmas at Wofford.

I know what you’re thinking: did I forget about Thanksgiving? Certainly not. In fact, normally in my family, we are not allowed to listen to Christmas music until the day after Thanksgiving. And that rule is strictly enforced.

But this is an exception, as it is with many other things. For the past three years I have celebrated Thanksgiving with the knowledge that I would be happily back in my dorm room the next week to enjoy a belated Friendsgiving on campus, and that maybe—just maybe—we’d get a few inches of snow over finals week. 

In 2020, that just isn’t possible. Keeping everyone safe is what matters the most, but unfortunately that means sacrificing a short but valuable few weeks at Wofford. 

Over the weekend, I bought my first Christmas tree. Six feet tall, prelit, with lots of ornaments. All that’s left is a tree topper and my apartment is set for the Christmas season. While I love my family’s Christmas tree with all of its collected and handmade ornaments from over the years, to me, getting my own tree means that I am taking one more step into adulthood.

Pretty soon, the class of 2021 will be graduating. And, hopefully, I will be getting a job and moving into my own space where I can customize my own tree, and start my own holiday traditions. 

This year, don’t feel guilty for celebrating a conglomerate of Thanksgiving and Christmas, or whichever winter holidays you prefer. They all have meaning to us in different ways, and even if it’s a little early, why should that stop you after the chaos of 2020? Don’t we deserve some holiday cheer?