We Want the Holidays, and We Want Them Now!
With the holidays quickly approaching, controversy is daring to split our community: Will you be celebrating the winter holidays right after you stuff yourself full of cranberry sauce and your aunt’s mystery “casserole”?
All across campus, you have been faced with friends, colleagues, professors, acquaintances, failed situationships and even — dare I say it — dreaded hometown “friends.” You made small talk with them about their plans for Thanksgiving; even those hiding the fact that they think the Santa hat hanging on your bedpost is tacky. Forget political talk with that one concerningly controversial uncle this holiday season, this issue must take on the utmost importance.
Courtesy of Pinterest
With finals stress on the horizon, our campus community has become extra opinionated about this topic — as they should be. While some believe bells should be ringing all year long, others find it repulsive to think about snowy days when PSL season isn’t even in our rearview mirror yet.
“Thanksgiving is its own holiday and people who decorate for the winter holidays before aren’t recognizing Thanksgiving as its own day,” biology student Sydney Chamberlin, 18, said. Could we be overlooking a day of reflection and thankfulness with our eagerness? Do we make Thanksgiving our side chick until a “better” holiday comes along?
While Chamberlin commands to “hold your horses,” opposing 20-year-old biology student, Jake Wright has a more forgiving outlook. As a self-proclaimed winter holiday enthusiast, Wright finds it appalling that anyone would consider his early-bird habits unacceptable.
“They need to get a life, first of all,” Wright argued. “We need to let people experience joy wherever they can get it.”
It seems that there may be a more philosophical side to this controversy — is hating on holiday lovers just an attack on self-expression? Hey, if listening to Mariah Carey belt out what she really wants for Christmas is the only thing getting you out of bed for your 8:30 class, have at it.
Even in light of this great divide, students find ways to coexist and still respect their friends’ desires. Interior design major Alisa Schmidt, 18, and nursing major Kennedy Crisafulli, 19 may find themselves on opposing sides, but the dorm neighbors adapt and overcome in the name of harmony.
Crisafulli and her family wait until Christmas Eve to prepare rugelach, a traditional Jewish dish, and get fully into the holiday spirit. Schmidt, on the other hand, channels her inner Elf on the Shelf much earlier: “As soon as the weather drops below 90 degrees, I’m bumpin’ the Michael Bublé.”
With only a cement wall separating the two, turmoil is bound to be high. However, Crisafulli accompanied Schmidt on her annual Target run to buy holiday decorations for her dorm. And Schmidt agreed to take part in a communal kitchen Friendsgiving to properly honor the holiday that Crisafulli believes is often overlooked. Gators supporting Gators!
Image courtesy of Pinterest
Whether you plop a set of reindeer ears onto your skeleton or wait until the first night to set up your Hannukah bush, your traditions are valid. This great controversy may not be as dramatic as it seems (or that I believed it to be –— tea!) when you have others supporting your pursuit of what brings you joy. So, maybe sit down this year with all your friends, have a feast, let some bring stuffing and others eggnog, give thanks and end the night with a carol or two. Who says blending all the holidays isn’t the way to go?
Strike out,
Writer: Olivia Evans
Editor: AJ Bafer
Graphic: Larissa Aguiar
Gainesville
