by Aleeha Shah | news editor
It’s that time of year again. The time of lights, decorations, and holiday traditions. For most people, this is a time of giving gifts and spending time with family, but for someone who doesn’t celebrate anything, like me, it is just a random break. In elementary school, I remember they always tried to incorporate the Muslim celebration of eid into their festivities. They played songs about the different holidays, and we would sit around and eat candy while listening to them. While this is a sweet gesture, most of the time eid does not even fall in these two weeks. So, during these two weeks I tend to just sit at home and do nothing.
When I was younger, I would always get into the Christmas spirit even though I didn’t celebrate it. I listened to the songs and watched the movies, but now all I do is sit on the couch and binge watch my favorite shows (this year that show will most likely be Teen Wolf because it is amazing and I am obsessed.) With everything closed, there is not even somewhere I can go, so my only option is doing nothing. One thing that is super annoying about this time is last minute shoppers. I get it is probably so stressful to have to buy things for everyone you know basically, but it is also stressful for me when I want to buy one thing and the lines are filled with people doing last minute holiday shopping. There should be a line for non gift buyers. Stores need to create one.
I am probably just critical because I don’t understand anything. I don’t know what it is like to get together as a family and choose a tree and decorate it, or what is like to put up lights all around. I don’t get why people go so extra for christmas. On my street, everyone has up pretty lights and cool decorations and while they are pretty, their electricity bill is probably going to go up so much. It makes it a lot easier to find my house though. As you’re driving, you see light, light, light, dark, light, light, light. My house looks so dark and morbid amidst all the bright lights and santa decorations. Well, at least my electricity bill isn’t as high.
Next year, I feel like I need to go all out to make up for all the time I have lost. I need to experience the lights and the trees and the decorations and the gifts. I need to sit by the fire and sip hot chocolate while watching Home Alone. Maybe if I experience it for once, I’ll learn to be less critical. For now though, I don’t get why it is so extravagantly celebrated among 97% off the population. For me, it is just another boring old day. Where I sit on my couch wrapped in a blanket and eat one day old pizza while binge watching shows on my laptop.
