Halloween seems to everyone’s favorite holiday. You get to be whoever or whatever, you want for a night. You get to be around friends and family. You also have the ability to eat your weight in candy, and for that one night of the year, you won’t be judged for it. It seems that most lives, of people my age anyway, revolve around October 31. While that may be what is socially acceptable in young adult culture, I cannot relate. Unfortunately for you, reader, Halloween is not my favorite holiday. And if you want to quit reading now, I completely understand, but hear me out.

My favorite day of the year is probably November 1^st. The arrival of November is basically the arrival of Christmas. And when I say NOBODY loves Christmas more than me, NOBODY LOVES CHRISTMAS MORE THAN ME! It just instantly makes me happier. And that song isn’t wrong; Christmastime really is “the most wonderful time of the year!”

Yes, I am fully aware that actual Christmas isn't until December 25, however, November 1 is where it all begins. I love walking into stores and seeing the displays of ornaments and decorations, knowing just hours before the same stores were filled with costumes and candy. The mall aesthetic goes from spooky to sparkly in a matter of hours. Because while everyone seems to enjoy dressing up for Halloween, I can’t say that Halloween decorations are particularly pleasing to the eye. Christmas decorations, on the other hand, are beautiful, colorful and fun.

I also don’t believe we should overlook Thanksgiving. It’s got all the colors of Halloween but all the food and festivities as Christmas. Basically, Thanksgiving is what you get when Christmas and Halloween have a child. Thanksgiving, to me, resembles a practice round or a dry-run for Christmas. You still have to bake the pies and cakes, base the turkey, make sure there are enough sides and fixings and make sure the house is clean. However, Thanksgiving doesn’t take the hours of decorating that Christmas does. Either way, we should respect Thanksgiving a little more if for no other reason than that the government gives us days off of school and work specifically for us to eat all day. Maybe I simplified it a bit, but honestly, that’s what it boils down to.

The month of November also brings about the best day in the American calendar, also known as Black Friday. Anyone who knows me knows that I love shopping, and Black Friday is a shopaholic's paradise. Black Friday means great deals on all the electronics, apparel and beauty products my heart could desire. I circle that day on my calendar each year and collect the circulars from my favorite stores advertising all of their amazing Black Friday deals.

Of course, I am aware the actual Christmas is December 25, especially since my birthday is December 26. But November needs to be appreciated for Thanksgiving, Black Friday and the official beginning of Christmas that it brings. So while everyone counts down to October 31, I’m waiting until November 1 to really get excited.