Every holiday has its season, but Christmas has gone on for long enough. Most holidays get a weekend: Memorial day, Labor day, Veteran’s day. A few receive a couple of weeks, or tie in with the season to add some holiday flare. Christmas, however, is creeping its way into other holiday territory.

Hallmark has created the 25 days of Christmas, and the old holiday song claims the 12 days of Christmas following Dec. 25. Doing the math, if Christmas festivities were to begin after Dec. 1,  that would leave it with 36 days, maybe a few less because of New Years Eve and New Years Day. Nonetheless that’s still over a month to celebrate and be merry.

There are a few opinions on when Christmas celebrations can begin, varying from Nov. 1 to Dec. 1. Most people would agree that it deserves its moment in the spotlight, but when is that moment enough?

Year after year, stores bring out the tinsel and Mariah Carey Christmas songs earlier than the last. Thanksgiving is being overlooked. And as a personal fan of green bean casserole and the beloved mashed potatoes and gravy, this is just not okay.

The fourth Thursday of November marks the celebration of Thanksgiving. Traditionally this fall holiday is accompanied by a large dinner surrounded by family. The meal usually consists of but is not limited to: Turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, stuffing, cranberry and a few kinds of pie. Decorations include turkeys, cornucopias, pilgrims and woodland house accessories.

Thanksgiving is a warm, friends-and-family-oriented celebration, similar to Christmas, but not the same. The holiday season begins in late November with Thanksgiving setting it in motion and ends with New Years. If Christmas takes front and center, it takes away from the other holidays.

The holidays of the season centers around family, love, joy, giving thanks and giving charity. When you start Christmas nearly 2 months before the day itself arrives, it makes it less meaningful. It takes away from the other well-deserved moments.

Most holidays are defined by set time periods. Easter is three days and the fourth of July is one. However, Christmas has never been truly defined. To define it, the Christmas season should start on Nov. 1.

This might be seen as an unpopular opinion because people make a fuss about skipping over Thanksgiving, but this is not what is happening. The seasons for celebration regarding Christmas and Thanksgiving aren’t anchored to specific months but they do coincide.

The aura that surrounds Thanksgiving and Christmas is full of joy, thanks and spending time with family. Christmas and Thanksgiving are also celebrated, traditionally, very similarly with large family dinners, filled with turkey and ham encompassing a whole table. So, if these two holidays are so similar, it just makes sense to celebrate them simultaneously.

Christmas and Thanksgiving should be celebrated together because they have different aspects that compliment each other making their season together perfect. Thanksgiving comes with lots and lots of food and a nice fall scenery, while Christmas comes with great music and the most festive decorations. Together, this makes for the best season all-around.

Christmas starting on November 1st makes sense because that initiates the start of the all of the retail stores putting out products used at or for Christmas. Almost every store is decorated for Christmas; whether it’s cute Christmas accessories or an ugly sweater, Christmas lights and a tree, or sweet holiday treats. Take Starbucks, their snowman cookies and Christmas themed drinks have been out for a while and when you walk in you’re greeted by Christmas door decals and hanging lights.

A Christmas tradition for America is the Hallmark Channel’s 25 days of Countdown to Christmas. The Hallmark Channel shows twenty-five new Christmas themed movies from Oct. 27 through Dec. 29. With Christmas spirited movies starting at the end of October it just makes sense for the whole season to begin Nov. 1.

Christmas starting Nov. 1 just makes sense. Stores and restaurants are already decorated and playing Christmas music, so why not admit it and set Nov. 1 as the definite date of the start of Christmas celebration.