The days are shorter, the air is colder, and the holiday season has finally arrived. Though, as Thanksgiving arrives with Christmas in tow, it poses an important question: does the Christmas season officially start Nov. 1 or Dec. 1? 

The change from warm to colder weather is perfect for the Christmas season. With snow a typical occurrence in November, the atmosphere matches the snowy ambience of practically every Christmas song, making it the perfect time to begin beloved festivities and cuddle up with a blanket.

As the weather transitions to chilly, low temperatures, seasonal depression can accompany it. To lift up the mood, research from Deborah Serani and ScienceDirect states that putting up Christmas decorations earlier improves our happiness due to a spike of dopamine, which relieves stress and keeps us energized. Since November can be bleak for some, decorating earlier for Christmas can keep people happy throughout the holiday season.

From the gloomy weather and natural dopamine high created from Christmas cheer, it’s a no brainer that November is the ideal month to begin the Chirstmas season. 

The beginning of the Christmas season is a heavy debate for people of all ages. Although many households, including mine, start preparing for Christmas in early November, I believe Christmas cheer shouldn’t go into effect until December 1.

It’s widely accepted that very few people get into Thanksgiving as heavily as they do Christmas, but that shouldn’t completely disregard it as a holiday. November is the last chance to savor autumn before the leaves lose color and the roads become icy. With that in mind, we should be able to appreciate fall until Thanksgiving because like any other season, it only comes once a year. 

According to a NielsenIQ survey, 91% of consumers planned to celebrate Thanksgiving last year. With such a large number of annual participants, it’s apparent that Americans enjoy this in-between holiday, and if this many Americans are open to participating in Thanksgiving at all, why undermine it with Christmas cheer so soon? 

On that note, it’s important to savor Christmas just the same as 

The month of December should be something special to look forward to, and celebrating a month in advance takes away some of the excitement leading up to it. Baking cookies, decorating the tree, and putting up Christmas lights are all part of the December festivities that make the holidays memorable.