It’s November, there’s no snow on the ground, it’s barely cold enough to cover my windshield in frost and I’m as stressed as ever. This doesn’t feel right.

With how upsetting 2020 has been, I can confidently say I think most people would agree it is time to bring joy to everyone’s lives now with an early start to Christmas. 

I will start off by saying I have never seen so many social media posts of Christmas decorations being hung up at this time of year. I mean, it’s not even Thanksgiving yet. 

However, I firmly believe this is how people collectively decided this is how we’re going to brighten everyone’s year — and I can definitely say it’s working. 

I went home over Halloween weekend, leaving a bare apartment with some spooky decorations, not planning to take them down or replace them with anything for quite some time. 

The day after Halloween, I got a text from my roommate asking me to put up the Christmas tree when I got back to Eau Claire. Of course I gladly said I would. 

After receiving this text, I begged my mom to put up our Christmas tree while I was home with the family. My little sister and I nagged her enough and she finally complied. 

I will say, my mom knows how to bring comfort to anything. The way she makes Christmas feel more Christmas-y than the holiday itself, is phenomenal. 

We put up our Christmas tree and all of the pretty lights and ornaments together and I never felt so relaxed in my life. There’s something about the Christmas aesthetic that makes me want to sit in a giant cozy chair, sip hot chocolate and watch the entire “Home Alone” series. 

I could tell my mom was feeling the same way I was about Christmas when she couldn’t stop talking about how she’s already gotten mine and my sisters Christmas presents and have some of them already wrapped. 

(A quick note: I would never ask for a single thing from my mom, as she’s already given me everything I could ever want. She just has the kindest soul.)

When the weekend was over, I said goodbye to my family and their warm smiles, as well as the warm glow from the Christmas tree smiling back at me. 

As soon as I returned to my apartment in Eau Claire, I was surprised by my roommate, who had already set up the Christmas tree and was waiting on me to decorate it with ornaments. 

He, too, couldn’t wait on the joy of Christmas. 

I have yet to decorate our Christmas tree, as I’ve been extremely busy with school and work lately. But I can’t say I don’t enjoy walking into the living room and seeing the yellow glow of the Christmas tree.  

It struck me that everybody is truly feeling the same way about this entire year. The fact that we chose Christmas to be the thing that cheers us up really gives me hope next year will be better. 

Dirks can be reached at [email protected]