Each year, in many North American and European countries the month of December is called the holiday season. The christian holiday of Christmas occurs at this time and the Jewish celebration of Hanukkah is usually in December too. And it is all topped off by the end of the roman calendar and start of the new year on January first.
During this holiday season most people get December 25th and 26th and Jan 1st off work and there is a rage of retail spending as people rush out to buy gifts for others.
Everyone is holly jolly around this time of year (or supposed to be) celebrating life, partying getting along with others and generally being in a giving and sharing mood.
Charitable donations rise significantly at this time of year as do donations to food banks, and other acts of kindness.
Since I was a young adult I have always wondered why there is a holiday season. I ask myself do we need a “season” for this kind of behavior. Why would we not feel holly jolly and be kind toward and thoughtful of others year round.
Cyclical Behavior
Why do good, happy and joyful actions and thoughts come around only once a year. Are these really things that need to be scheduled? Would it not make sense to celebrate the holiday season year round?
I guess the answer lies in the fact our holidays are limited to three to four weeks a years and specific statutory holidays. So the holiday season can only come once every twelve months. This is a bit strange to me though, in that I take holidays in the summer, spring and fall on occasion even though these are not officially designated times for the holiday season.
I guess ultimately it is about the effort required to be happy and nice to others, enjoy yourself and share our material goods (gifts). It is just too much to do more than once a year.
Pity.
What a bunch of weird thoughts. The word holidays actually comes from “holy days”. In the so called Christian World the birth of Jesus is considered the most holiest of days. Nowhere does it say you must be happy during the holidays and not during the rest of the year. Merry Christmas is much more appropriate than Happy Holidays.
I totally agree Brian, unfortunately I believe, certainly not for everyone that holy days has been perverted to holidays like black Friday (when the retailers celebrate how much we spend). So hey everyone, lets get back to treating holy days as intended. A spiritual celebration.
Late to getting to this blog, may want to edit the spelling of “Hannaka”. Also, there is a non-spiritual take on the timing as well, which is to celebrate the Winter Solstice, marking when days would get longer. In ancient times when agriculture was arguably much more important, this would mark that the return to better times (agriculturally speaking).