Holiday Cheer

I’m an early Christmas-er, and I have no shame.

On the morning following Halloween, I woke up and got in my car to find Christmas music playing on the radio.

I turned it up, and much to the chagrin of one of the more epic walk-of-shame crowds I had ever seen, I rolled my windows down as I drove through the campus of Michigan State.

A few stopped to yell at me that I was nuts. One woman started clapping. Per usual, I got a mixed bag of results.

I hear your arguments and yes, I understand that Christmas is still nearly two months away. No, I do not care.

For me, this will be one of the most awkward holiday seasons in my lifetime. For one, I won’t have my tradition Thanksgiving dinner. I’ll be in the midst of a nine-hour work related road trip.

Secondly, I had a traditional family. I love them all very much. But the traditional context is now past tense.

It’s new to me, and I’m not sure how to handle it despite the best advice from my friends that have experienced this phenomena. For the first time in my life, I may not see my whole family on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day.

Since I returned to school in August, like many of you, I am stressed, exhausted and impatient.

I need to feel cheery. I need a little of that holiday feeling far earlier than some because it’s the only thing helping me to wake up in the morning.

My problems are no greater than yours. I struggle with them because I’m poor at handling emotional issues and not at all afraid to admit it.

So yes, I’m going to listen to Christmas music, because it helps me. I won’t judge you for despising my early Christmas-ing as long as you keep it to yourself.

I’ll try my hardest to keep my early Christmas-ing out of your face unlike I did when I was at Michigan State if it bothers you that much.