In high school, I hated the Christmas season because of the songs that were constantly playing on the radio. Additionally, the weather was uncomfortably cold. I expressed my dislike of this season to a girl in my Senior English class, and she jokingly replied, "You Grinch." I then told her that I loved Christmas itself because of God, family, and food (in that order); I just did not like the songs that came with it.

I do not know what changed me, but once I got to college, it was September or October when I started playing Christmas songs. I suddenly had a newfound excitement for this season. I cannot explain how excited I was for this season to begin even with the weather being even more unpleasant than the year before.

Was it the fact I was excited to get out of school and spend the break making money and cuddling my dog? Was it because I was sick of my college classes? Was I just that homesick? Was it because I was living on my own and feeling like I am freer to express myself? Was it because I was growing up and started looking on the positive side of what Christmas brings and about what it is? Whatever it was, this love did not stop after my first Christmas break as an adult; it was not a one-time deal.

I started getting Christmas fever yet again during summer break this year, the first summer after my first year of college. It was June or July when I was ready to put up a tree and blast Christmas music (yes, Christmas music) through our Sonos speaker, and it was September when I followed through with my Christmas spirit. My family was not very ecstatic that night about the music. In fact, the station was changed almost immediately because nobody in my family appreciates my taste in music. I thought it was never too early to get excited about Christmas, but I do not care what other people think.

I still do not know why I am so obsessed with Christmas all of a sudden. I do not think I will ever understand why it came after I graduated from high school. If I ever figure it out, I might make an announcement. As for right now, I will keep going with the flow and hope for many more years of anticipation for the Christmas season to begin.