There are many who say that Christmas season can't really start until December, or the first snow, or after Labor Day or other arbitrary deadlines. Those people are on my naughty list. I used to save the Christmas music for the day after Thanksgiving, but then the Glee Christmas album came out. Nowadays, I officially welcome the Christmas season on November 1st but I've been known to belt a line or 2 of God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman and wear Christmas socks as early as mid-September. Basically, as soon as I decide it's not summer anymore, it needs to be Christmas.
Celebrating the Christmas season early lets me spend the day after Thanksgiving, which used to be reserved for spreading Christmas cheer, in other ways. Such as Black Friday, the fourth most magical day of the year behind the 4th of July, Christmas, and my birthday. I am a recent convert to Black Friday (or African American Friday, depending on who you're talking to). My mother used to not be a big shopper...that probably had a lot to do with the fact that I was a teenager then and to be fair I was completely miserable to shop with. I wanted all the things. Not much has changed, but now I have my own money. Of course I am still not a very fun shopping partner. Most of the time I just follow whoever I'm with around, which drives my mother crazy. But people continue to invite me to go shopping with them because I'm good at math. (Which exemplifies the life lesson everyone has to learn at some point, there comes a time when you will have to start tricking people into being your friends. But we will discuss that another day.)
I have found many a killer deal on Black Fridays. A few Black Fridays ago I bought the entire Sex and the City series on DVD for $8 each. In the past I've found some of my favorite movies for $2, sweaters for $4 and tank tops for $1, the list goes on an on (and so do the receipts). And let's not forget last year, when I met the love of my life. My iPhone.
So if you want to experience the full wonder of Black Friday like me, you need to start ringing in the yuletide a little early this year. Some things are a must to make it apparent to all of your friends and mainly your roommates that you have decided it is Christmas season...and there's no going back. So don't fight it, just enjoy. First, you have to start playing Christmas music. Then watch Elf, The Grinch and Home Alone once a week. If they groan, or ask you to turn it off, just cross them off your list of people to buy for.
Which brings me to another point...I love the commercialization of Christmas just as much as anyone else, but it is important to remember the reason behind the holiday. God gave humanity the greatest gift ever given when He sent His son to die for us. No matter who you are or what you've done, God loves you more than you can comprehend. When I was younger I thought Christmas was the worldwide celebration of my cousin Brittany's birthday since she was born on December 25th and was obviously (and obnoxiously, if you ask me) everyone's favorite. (It was a very complicated pregnancy, which led to my family's remix of Mary Did You Know? "Julia did you know? That your baby girl, would try to take your life? Julia did you know? That you would throw up, over 200 times?") But I digress. My point here is that if you are adamant about refusing to believe in my Lord and Savior, should I be expected to get you an expensive gift celebrating His birth? I think not. Of course, I love giving presents so much that I will inevitably get you a gift anyways I just want it known that I do this out of the goodness of my heart (where the Jesus you mock lives, none the less) and not out of respect for cultural norms that reward your disbelief.
Oddly enough, I still end up getting Christmas gifts for approximately millions of people. My mother has been telling me for years that I need to stop wasting my money on presents for people who don't care about me. I can't help that I'm a giver. I will admit, if there was an Over Givers Anonymous group I would have to join. I always go over budget on Christmas presents. I use the terms "best friend" "love" and "more than life itself" way too frequently, but in the words of a great philosopher, Taylor Swift, "all you need to do to be my friend is like me" but even that doesn't cover it because there are people who I consider my friends who I'm pretty sure hate me.
Bottom line. If being too full of Christmas spirit is naughty, I don't wanna be nice.
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