By Lucia Maschler  

The tree is up.  The ornaments have been meticulously placed into the correct spot.  The manger scene has been arranged and rearranged by my five year old sister (with some Polly Pocket additions of course–didn’t know she was on the guest list did you?).  And some presents have already been wrapped and placed in the back of my mom’s closet (yeah, I’ve checked). �
And it’s only the middle of November.  Yes, my family gets ready for Christmas extremely early.  But I love it every minute of it.

My family is notorious for starting for our Christmas antics a little early.  Okay, a LOT early.  There was one year that we put up our decorations the day after Halloween.  I kid you not, while others still had rotting pumpkins on their porch, we had lights that stuck out like a sore thumb in our seemingly calm neighborhood.
But you know what?  It’s awesome.

Christmas is more than just a holiday.  It’s a season.  It truly is the most wonderful time of the year.  So who cares if I’m already humming Christmas carols while I walk accross the quad or want to wear my Santa socks to school (don’t worry Ms. Hoecker, I don’t–got to stay in uniform!).

Christmas is such a happy time.  It’s about being with the ones you love.  It’s about celebrating the birth of Christ.  It’s about sharing and caring.  It’s about helping those less fortune.  So why would anyone care that we start a few weeks earlier than the most?
Now, I get the argument that putting up Christmas lights and listening to Frank Sinatra’s greatest Holiday hits isn’t really helping anyone out.  But you know what?  It gets me in the holiday mood.
Ask any one of my friends.  I have been listening to the Christmas station on Pandora for about two weeks.  And every time I click pause and take out my headphones, I have a euphoric feeling that cannot be matched.  I smile more, laugh more, and am just all around in a better mood.

Starting Christmas early each year doesn’t only help me be happier.  It helps me help others.  I feel more charitable.  I always give a dollar or two to the Santa’s outside Wal-Mart or the Salvation Army guys in front of the mall.  It just makes me feel better to help out, and the Christmas season really jump starts that feeling.
So to all you scrooges out there who want to complain about starting the Christmas season too early, please just keep it to yourself.  You’re not doing any good.  Us Christmas Kooks just want to have a little holiday fun, so please just let us be crazy in peace.
Merry Christmas!