So, How Do You Celebrate November?
November is this odd month between Spooptober and Christmas where we are all supposed to be grateful, eat a lot, and do far too much homework. Since Halloween is Oct. 31, us Halloween-lovers literally wake up Nov. 1 to a world overtaken by the bizarre love child of Christmas music and harvest decor. Within hours, we go from blasting Nightmare Before Christmas and Halloween-themed lofi playlists, to, um, I am not sure really.
Some people are listening to Mariah Carrey by mid-October, while others of us would rather wait till Dec. 1, thanks. Some put up their tree before Thanksgiving, some after, some on Christmas Eve. We all have different holiday timelines and traditions, but regardless of your preferences, November still leaves us with this odd space between Halloween and Christmas. Sure, November has lots of school days off and a big day for eating and family towards the end, but what else is there? Most of the pumpkin patches closed, but the Christmas tree farms have not opened yet either. Is it too early to watch Elf? Too late to still be watching horror films? How does one even be festive in No Man’s Land November?
As someone who loves being seasonal and festive, November still has me stumped and it is Thanksgiving already. I am strongly of the opinion it should be socially acceptable to radiate Halloween vibes until Dec. 1, but my cousin would happily tell you Christmas music should be acceptable as soon as she’s wearing sweaters. After an October full of spoops, skeletons, pumpkins, and falling leaves, I had no idea how to be seasonal in November. However, for most college students, November is stress month as we cram tests, plot projects, and try to finish the semester strong- or at all. So, business answered my question of how to celebrate the ever-sooner sunset and dwindling fall vibes- with homework, and lots of it. This is likely the case for a lot of us.
Some great small ways to celebrate this time may include finally dusting off your cozy sweaters, drinking hot tea without dying of heat, or keeping a gratitude list. November for us college students may look like small moments of noticing how the weather, our lives, and our wardrobes are changing, of embracing darker colors and praying the pumpkins we put out in October stay fresh a little longer.
However, if you want to still be watching horror movies and feeling full spook vibes- go for it. Or if you want to be howling Christmas carols and putting up string lights everywhere- sounds great. Take this as your official permission slip to do whatever you please to celebrate whatever you want in this festive but hodge podge of a month. Put up pumpkins or take them down, put up Christmas trees or wait, Christmas shop with a horror let’s play in the background- the world’s your oyster.
But we can all agree that Thanksgiving doesn’t have a lot going for it. It does not even have a soundtrack, or movies, or a vibe, besides the sort of full harvest vibes reminiscent of a millennial mom Instagram feed or your Aunt Bertha who refuses to celebrate Halloween. But, hey, if that’s how you celebrate November, then go for it.
November is a permission slip to choose your festivities, so please do. Enjoy the holidays however you’d like. Especially in such an odd year where so much is unconventional already, why not be just as unconventional as you want to be?
Originally appeared on Scarlet & Gray through UNLV Free Press.
