Scrooge or Santa? It’s up to you to decide

Here is the first, and I think most of us can agree on this: Christmas does not begin in November, and it most certainly does not begin in October. Stores can stock all the Christmas decorations they wish as soon as they like, and radio stations can play Christmas tunes as soon as they wish. That does not mean we have to follow them.

So I say no to holiday trappings before the season begins.

But when does Christmas start? Ah, here is where we may have a problem. And I am willing to admit the problem stems in part from my background as a conservative Lutheran.

For me, it is not currently the Christmas season. Technically it is Advent, a season where Christians prepare themselves for the coming of the Christ child on Dec. 25. Since the holiday has the word “Christ” in it, hopefully you’ll allow me to ask that we delay the celebration at least a little bit.

If you do not wish to wait, honestly, I can honor that. Frankly, while I am not ready to celebrate, I do not mind surrounding myself in the spirit of those who are. That spirit is positive, it is contagious, and it is good for the soul — especially when it combats the current malaise swirling around us these days.

But please note: If I am going to allow the celebration to start a little early, you need to meet me at least halfway. And by that I mean we have to extend the holiday past Dec. 25. Again, I lean on my Christian roots, which indicate that the Christmas “season” extends from Dec. 25 to Jan. 5. After all, where do you think the song about “The 12 Days of Christmas” comes from?

So if you stop celebrating Christmas on Dec. 26, well, I am not with you. I love singing Christmas carols, but I do not really start doing that until Christmas Day, when I break out my Charlie Brown Christmas music – love you, Vince Guaraldi! – or my Gary Hoey Christmas collection. Yes, I’m a huge “Ho! Ho! Hoey!” fan as well.

But it’s more than the music. It is escaping the hustle and pressure of finding Christmas gifts and just enjoying them with family. It is the joy generated by young hearts reveling in Santa Claus and his spirit of giving. And for some reason, those decorations that feel like a burden as they are put in place around area houses in early December just become more magical to these eyes once Dec. 25 comes.

Frankly, I would love to see the Christmas spirit extend well beyond Dec. 25. What a world this would be if we could carry that Christmas spirit all the way through the calendar, right? What’s more, once Christmas ends, we do not have many big holidays between the start of the New Year’s Day and Valentine’s Day.

And please do not get me started on that holiday.

John Wagner is the managing editor of the County News Review.