By N. Morah
Christmas decorations have been in stores since September and most people start decorating that soon too. Christmas movies are already streaming and Mariyah Carey is getting ready to make her yearly millions, but why? Why does Christmas have America in such a chokehold?
Due to imperialism, Christianity is the dominant religion, and Christmas, to many, is the celebration of the birth of Christ. It is the most widespread, the most practiced, and the most common religion worldwide, so it makes sense for a holiday surrounding the religion to be so popular in America, a really Christian-heavy country. There are definitely non-Christians and even atheists that still celebrate the joyful holiday, but the common practice of Christianity definitely adds to the popularity.
Christmas is generally celebrated with family. Holiday traditions and festivities usually sprout from family celebrations from when you were younger, and a lot of people hold on to those traditions to pass on. So, it makes sense for people to deem this holiday so important to them. There’s also a very generous holiday break for most people with New Year’s following right after. This gives people the excuse to leave town and meet up with loved ones. Many children and adults enjoy this time enjoying the holiday with their families and close friends. This is also a time when tradition is formed. Simple things like decorating the tree together, baking a specific cookie, wearing silly pajamas, or watching old Christmas movies become an every year thing. Tradition around the holiday brings more meaning to being around family and can be passed on for generations.
Christmas is a holiday full of beauty and for an entire month, life feels like a dream. Multiple colorful lights decorate houses and beautiful trees all over the place. Joyful holiday music blasts and the old Christmas movies are playing on every channel. This creates a sense of nostalgia. Almost every house you pass is covered in beautiful decorations and the warmth emanates, protecting you from the cold. Red and green, the colors of Christmas, are also meant to produce joy and excitement because they are complimentary. So seeing these colors together is a free serotonin boost, which most people need every once in a while.
It is quite obvious why children enjoy the holiday. There’s much more to do, many warm desserts being served and the sweet promise of a jolly man bringing wonderful gifts. As a child, my favorite parts of the holiday were always the lights, the cookies, and the tree. The comforting smell of pine, the excitement of decorating cookies, and the beautiful decorations always felt like a dream come true.
During the month of December people seem to come together and produce joy in all corners. For one month, it feels like all the bad in the world disappears, and that is especially needed after the years we’ve had. It is a relieving holiday for most, so it makes sense for it to be America’s favorite.
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