Footsteps race down the stairs, kids in every house around the cul-de-sac beam with delight as they arrive at their lit-up tree with bunches of presents below.
They anticipate what is in the colorfully wrapped boxes placed under the timber cover.
As parents wake up from the ruckus cause by children, they are filled with even more anticipation.
The children tear the presents open once they are given the go-ahead from their parents.
Toys, clothes, the occasional pair of socks, new gadgets and maybe even a new furry friend are at the children’s fingertips.
Christmas may be one of the messiest holidays when it comes to cleaning up the scattered fragments of wrapping paper that were left behind from the morning’s activities.
People all around the world spend hours in the kitchen making Christmas treats including grownies, fudge, cookies, cakes and many other assorted treats.
As it becomes farther into the holiday season, more Christmas lights appear, Christmas music blares in stores and more trees twinkle in windows.
Everyone has a Grizwald-like family on their street that is just waiting until after Halloween to go crazy on the decorations.
The second Halloween is over, store shelves are flooded with Christmas items and the Halloween items disappear.
Anywhere from lights to ornaments, from garlands to stockings, department stores are filled, leaving every store in town looking like a snapshot of a Hallmark movie.
Some people listen to Christmas music right after Halloween ends, while some believe it is not allowed until December.
With Halloween and Thanksgiving out, Christmas is officially in.
Some houses are already decorated for the holiday.
Thanksgiving is often overlooked and is not as essential.
The period between Nov. 1 and after Thanksgiving is when people disagree on when to bring out the Christmas spirit.
“You can’t celebrate Christmas until after Thanksgiving,” Paige Stranahan said.
I think it is appropriate to decorate for Christmas after Thanksgiving, but Christmas music can be used year-round.
“After Halloween is when it is acceptable in my opinion,” Matthew Greene said.
Christmas music is also a huge part of the holiday season. This is because Christmas music brings joy to everyone and brings people out of a depressive state. It reminds them of a happier time of the year.
The only reason most are a fan of winter is due to the holiday of gift-giving in the mix.
It may be the coldest, iciest part of winter but, the Christmas spirit softens the blow of that harsh winter weather.
Plus with snow on the rise, people want to decorate their houses earlier and earlier to avoid the weather crisis.
Slippery road conditions and cold weather make it more likely for people to want to stay indoors where it is cozy and warm.
This brings time to watch Christmas movies, and even some holiday baking or gift wrapping.
No matter if everyone likes it or not, Christmas is here.
Some may choose not to acknowledge this until after Nov. 23, but it is still in the air.
