I know, I know. It's two months away still, with Thanksgiving in between. I understand. But, for some reason, I'm still really excited for Christmas already!
I'm not usually. Most years, by this point in the year I have so much homework and so many things to get done, that the thought of having to figure out gifts for people is daunting, to say the least. I remember a year when I didn't fully realize that Christmas was happening until it was just a few days before.
I don't think that's the proper amount of excitement. Christmas deserves a lot more than that.
Since 75 percent of the American population is Christian, I think it's safe to say that most people celebrate Christmas. In fact, I would hazard a guess that at least 15 percent of the 20 percent who say they don't identify with any religion celebrate Christmas as well.
From my observations of people who aren't particularly religious, Christmas is such a national thing, and so much fun, that they usually celebrate it anyway; theirs just includes less focus on Jesus and more focus on gift-giving and chilling out with your family.
Those are the things I like most about Christmas as well. Though I do consider myself vaguely Christian, Christmas for me is a nice day in with my family, celebrating the time we spent thinking about each other and picking out gifts. Jesus is an aspect, but he isn't the main event for me, contrary to how the holiday first came about.
One of the best things about Christmas is the music. Nothing makes me happier than to hear Vince Guaraldi on the radio, or better yet, his entire soundtrack to the Peanuts Christmas movie on CD in the house.
That music is like hot chocolate in your veins and snow on your eyelashes, even if it's gray and 50 degrees outside. Andy Williams, Karen Carpenter, Bing Crosby and all those gorgeous silvered voices melt through the house like butter on a warm piece of toast. There's nothing better.
One of the other things that makes Christmas so wonderful is the tree, obviously. We always go pick it out at night, because that's when everyone is home, and most years it is a rollicking good time. It's almost always freezing (I nearly got frostbite the last time and had to go sit in the car), and we always find the perfect tree.
It can't be too tall or too wide.
It has to have nice full branches with plenty of needles. It can't look too dry because then we know we'll just have a bare, dead tree sitting in our living room by Christmas Eve.
We always find one that fits perfectly and set it up just right, so we can smell the fresh, cold scent of Douglas fir through the whole house.
The last thing I'll mention is the Christmas movies. "A Christmas Story" has to be the funniest one for sure. The best-animated ones have to be "A Charlie Brown Christmas"and "How The Grinch Stole Christmas," both of which tug at my heartstrings. I can't think of much that is as relatable as tiny Linus and his existential crises, or the Grinch's dog/reindeer trying to pull that huge sled.
But the one that tops it all is always "It's A Wonderful Life." I have yet to find a man who was as realistic and unfettered in his acting as Jimmy Stuart and the story is a wondrous thing to behold. If you haven't seen it, you definitely should.
We still have Thanksgiving to get through before Christmas, so I can't go on for too long or I'll get overexcited.
So suffice to say that Christmas really is the most wonderful time of the year and I can't wait.
