From the moment that the days start to get shorter people are already preparing for the holiday season, which for some starts as early as Halloween. Every year radio stations start to phase in the holiday playlist earlier, and by mid-November you have already heard “Jingle Bell Rock” and “All I Want for Christmas” a billion times. Everywhere you turn there are signs that the holidays have set in, from store displays to the types of ads you see online to changing themes in video games, and regardless of your background or beliefs you will be subjected to some form of bright red and/or green decorations or attire. There is no escaping it, and honestly that’s not a bad thing at all.

Although the primary holiday that makes itself shown in the decorations is Christmas, which as the name implies traditionally revolves around the celebration of the birth of Christ, that does not in any way mean that the holiday season is exclusively Christian. If are or know someone of a different faith you know that they still enjoy the holidays because of what they entail. You don’t have to be celebrating anything in particular to have fun during a few days off, and as with Thanksgiving, it is nice to have a planned reason to come together with family and friends with no intention other than having a good time with each other. As for the decorations, the large array of bright colors and lights help set a joyful mood indoors, and those found outdoors on streetlights or storefronts make areas transform into something that can best be described as merry. Even with a large number of things weighing you down, it’s hard to feel totally down when walking through a scene like this, and that’s one of the many reasons the holidays are a wonderful time of the year.

Of course, everything has its downsides, and the holidays have many. First and foremost, traveling is a nightmare. December is the start of winter, and as such, there is a large amount of potential for weather causing flights to be delayed or even canceled. That, plus the simple fact that more people are going to be traveling to go home, leads to airports being overcrowded, and if you’re lucky enough to not have your flight plans changed you still have to be really early to the airport to make sure you can make it to your gate on time.

Then there is also the aspect of gift shopping. If someone has given you a wish list, it’s almost certain that whatever is on that list is a popular item and is going to be virtually impossible to find, or if not then you have to be creative and try to imagine what that person would like, with the potential always that they already have it or won’t like it.

Finally, there’s the getting together with extended family. There is always a bombardment of questions, and now more than ever having completed my first semester of college I expect no less than double the normal amount. The holidays, while filled with joy, can also be a very stressful time. Despite the negatives, they are still not enough to even come close to detracting from the value that the holidays hold.

Traveling may be more of a hassle, but honestly, regardless of what time of the year you’re doing it, it’s not going to be a fun experience. Shopping for gifts may be hard, but once you’re past that you get the joy of seeing the person open the gift, and the opportunity to get your own. And while answering questions may get a little annoying, it is still something I like doing because if someone is asking that means they care. The holidays make take over our lives for a while when they roll around, but I will continue to look forward to them every year.