This is to all your naysayers or Christmas early birds,
I go to college and there have been debates on when Christmas should start before or after Thanksgiving. This is my opinion that I have formed over my three years of college.
Living at College is a whole another realm that is not the real world.... Christmas is at the end of the month in December giving us a month to focus on wonderful holiday with our loved ones and being thankful. For the College world this has to start in November to get the full effect of the month.
The first week of November or so the Bridge office at OC puts up their little fake tree. So the students can enjoy it for the month before we break for the winter holiday. At least at my college, Oklahoma Christian when I get back from thanks giving I have less than two weeks till finals. So the students are finishing projects and studying for finals and have no time to enjoy the wonderful holiday.
Thanksgiving is a time to be thankful for what God has given to us and one of those things is Christ who was born and died for our sin. I am not saying forget about this wonderful holiday that starts our sugar coma part of the year. While celebrating it we can hang our lights and sing our carols to celebrate a month of Christmas with our loved ones at college.
I was once a naysayer like some of the debaters, however, I didn't start debates with every person who wants to start early. It was not until I arrived at OC and encountered the wonderful space of the Bridge office and it's staff. This was my freshman year. I was there when they set up the tree in the first week of November.
The Bridge office has a tradition this tradition is an ornament exchange for any one who brings one and settle it on the tree. Later, during finals week you can come select another ornament off the tree and take it home.
Also during the month you can walk into the office and there will be Christmas music playing. One of my favorite mentors counts the days till Christmas starting the day after. I would walk in my freshman year in October with a countdown till Christmas. I enjoyed this time with the Bridge office celebrating before the month began.
This does not mean that they forget Thanksgiving it is quite the opposite. Every year on the week of Thanksgiving they hold a lunch for all the professors and mentors that help out with the program, thanking them.
We are called to give God thanksgiving everyday. Especially on Sunday's when we fellowship in Christ death and Resurrection. Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 10:16, "Is not the cup of thanksgiving for which we give thanks a participation in the blood of Christ? And is not the bread that we break a participation in the body of Christ?" (NIV).
American traditions is time for family and friends getting together. The story goes that this comes from the pilgrims and Indians came together to eat in thanksgiving. Ironic, that they eat together before the fighting and killing went on, friends turned enemies. Thanksgiving is eating turkey, pumpkin pie, and pecan pie (not me but I am special) and this year I am going to Bob Bob's and Grandma's so I am going to watch the football games.
I know that this is not going to change anybody idea of Christmas or when it should be celebrated. This is an argument for us college kids who want to celebrate with our loved ones on campus before the craziness of finals began. I certainly will not be in the Christmas spirit when finals come around.
In the college realm:
- YOU college NAYSAYERS: just let the early birds have their fun. The spirit of Christmas should be celebrated early if their time for it. Thanksgiving is not one day of the year but everyday.
- EARLY BIRDS: have fun but don't be thankful the things you have. Because it is a Wonderful life!
REAL WORLD: It may be a bit to early start the day before thanksgiving, unless you put just your lights up before it gets cold and the freeze hits. The Rhema Bible church would working on their lights close to fall breaks.
