By Hadassa Ferreira, Arts & Culture Editor
November has arrived, and the black, orange, and purple of Halloween gave way to the red, green, and white of Christmas. The only remnant of orange remaining is the one that represents Thanksgiving. All this visual change can only mean one thing —and you know exactly what it is: the holidays are just around the corner!
The holiday season is a time of year that touches everyone in a special way, warming hearts and bringing people together. It’s a time for spending with loved ones, enjoying delicious food, celebrating family traditions, and looking forward to the year ahead.
It is a fact that throughout humanity’s history, the media has played a key role in shaping how the holiday season is portrayed and how people are expected to celebrate it.
Some of the most famous Hollywood movies present the holiday season as a time of winter, snow, hot chocolate, cookies, gifts, and family gatherings. This portrayal leads some to believe that the perfect holiday spirit revolves around cold weather, snow, gifts, and family reunions.
Beyond that, for those who don’t have all these elements, it can lead to feelings of exclusion, as they may believe their holidays are missing something essential to the holiday spirit.
The reality is, there is no one specific way to define what the holiday spirit is.
The holiday spirit can differ from family to family, region to region, generation to generation, and culture to culture.
In Southern American countries, this season of the year marks the beginning of summer. As a result, those who live there could say that the holiday spirit is all about extreme heat, bright sun, days spent at the beach, family barbecues outside, and pool parties with friends.
“During the Christmas period, we [in Bolivia]are in the middle of the summer, so it’s pretty common to go to the pool or open field activities,” said Carlos Salas, a sophomore accounting major. “It’s a time that feels dedicated to your friends and family,” he added.
For those with smaller families, instead of a traditional dinner, a trip to explore new places and try new experiences might be their holiday tradition.
Immigrants or international students living abroad might celebrate with a Friendsgiving and a fun game night, and for them, this could be their definition of a perfect holiday.
One of the most common ways to celebrate the holidays is by reflecting on cherished memories with those you’re spending the season with. Sharing stories and laughing about how life has “lifed” and led you to where you are today creates lasting memories.
Using this time of the year to do good things for those in need is also always a meaningful way to celebrate the holidays and embrace the season’s spirit. This time of year is about being grateful for the blessings of life and health as we reach the end of another year. Sharing what we have, even if it’s just our time—which is precious—can be a powerful way to feel the holiday spirit.
Holidays are about staying positive and focusing on what we still hope to achieve, knowing that a whole new year lies ahead to try again. Taking time for self-reflection during this season is another meaningful way to embrace the holiday spirit.
“The holiday spirit for me, as a Christian, is about celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ and reflecting on His love for us and salvation,” said Stevenson Michel, a junior student majoring in biomedical sciences.
Michel also mentioned, “For my family, the holiday spirit means coming together, celebrating what God has done, and finding moments of reflection before the new year.”
Holidays are all about happiness and positive emotions! So, the ultimate goal should be to spend this time doing things that warm your heart, bring a smile to your face, and fill you with excitement.
From now on, whenever you feel like you’re missing the holiday spirit because you haven’t checked off every item on the mainstream holiday checklist, don’t feel bad! Only you can live your life, and your celebration is unique to you.
You’ve been unique in your experiences all year long, so why not make your holidays just as unique?
