It’s the most wonderful time of the year!
I love the holiday season with a passion. As soon as Halloween ends, the cobwebs and spiders get exchanged for incandescent lights and a Christmas tree. I can start planning what alcoholic beverage I’ll be drinking when joyously watching the Dallas Cowboys lose on Thanksgiving and how many pies can satisfy my belly.
Tradition is huge in my family. We put up all the decorations as a family across many days. Dressing up and going for our church’s Christmas Eve service is a staple as we open up our presents after. Having the entire family together is truly one of the best feelings one can have; as my sister is getting married and moving out, and I pursue my career endeavors, times like this during the holiday season are what make life special and magical.
Don’t get me started on the music that accompanies this time of year. Ranging from classics like Frank Sinatra and Andy Williams, modern hits from Pentatonix, Ariana Grande and Laufey and obscure favorites from Gucci Mane, Phoebe Bridgers, Sufjan Stevens and Tyler, The Creator, setting the mood elevates my holiday experience. Just don’t let Mariah Carey into the conversation.
The holiday shows and commercials start pouring in, too; I love seeing the Sprite Cranberry commercial with LeBron James resurface on my social media feeds. My mom and sister also watch marathons of Hallmark movies — as bad as they are, the formula works, and I feel that Christmas spirit.
However, this year feels a little bit different.
The recent election has brought out the worst in everyone. We’re incredibly polarized as a nation, and it’s really sad to see. No matter which candidate you supported, you can feel the disapproval one person has for another.
If there’s one thing I’ve learned from social media and talking to people about this year’s election cycle, it’s that no one cares about others anymore.
“What I want is the best, and nothing else can convince me otherwise. Do you have a different opinion than me? I hope you get cast to the lowest parts of hell.” This is the mentality too many people have now.
Now, I want this feeling to go away, but I don’t think it’s going to happen. The holiday season is supposed to be a time of unity and togetherness, but as many people might agree, everyone feels so distant and in their own world.
Where did the magic go?
We’re losing our holiday cheer due to mere political differences.
The main point of this season — other than carving turkeys and celebrating the birth of Jesus — is to come together as a community and realize what we’re thankful for and give back to others who aren’t as fortunate as us.
I love participating in toy drives because I know that every toy is going towards a child who wouldn’t get a toy otherwise. Now, imagine that you meet the child you donated the toy to and find out he’s an illegal immigrant. Would you still want to give him the toy? Or would you want to give to another that fits your political beliefs better?
No matter the situation, everyone deserves some form of love during this season. If you aren’t willing to give that love to someone just because of a difference in political belief, then what’s the point of all of this? Let’s just cancel Thanksgiving and Christmas and move on with our lives.
We forget that some people aren’t able to celebrate the holidays the way that they want to. Economic circumstances prevent families from participating in traditional holiday formalities like having a three-course meal at Thanksgiving or presents under the Christmas tree. People aren’t going to be able to celebrate Christmas because they’re going through a war. Some students aren’t able to go back home and be with their family, so they will probably stay on campus and be alone for winter break.
And through all of this, you’d rather be divided because someone doesn’t agree with you? Be thankful for what you have! We’re so blessed to have people around who actually love us. The last thing you would want to do is compromise that love.
There was a time — it feels like a long time ago — when differences in political beliefs were just differences and nothing more. We could all get along because we knew that these contrasts in policy didn’t define us. We need to get back to that feeling.
Stop putting your political beliefs over basic human decency.
So this year, invite over that family across the street that has a “Make America Great Again” flag on their porch or that couple that has a “Love is Love” sign on their front lawn. Maybe invite them both over at the same time! What you will find is that we’re all not so different.
Instead of getting into an argument with that weird uncle who thinks the government is controlling us through the water supply, be thankful that you at least have someone willing to spend that time with you. Thankfulness is the ultimate gift one can give, and we can show that by being better humans to one another.
This holiday season, make it a point to be with those who are different from you and who share time together. We aren’t alive for enough time to despise others. Spread love around, not hate. It’s not the most wonderful time of the year if we aren’t doing it together.
Let’s share this time of joy and cheer together, not apart.
Joshua Abraham is a kinesiology junior and opinion writer for The Battalion.
