it’s the holiday season again... here in the US, you can feel the festivity in the air, despite the Covid-19 pandemic. several western countries celebrate holidays during wintertime, but i don’t think asian countries do; instead, many asian cultures celebrate Lunar New Year. however, as soon as i came to the US, i would say winter is the best time of the year when we have a lot of gifts from friends and relatives during Christmas and feel excited for a new year. Christmas may be a Christian occasion but it has been such an indispensable portion of American culture for so long that indeed individuals who aren’t Christians also join on in the celebration.
if you are studying in the US, wandering around the city especially at night, you may have noticed that your entire town or city may have turned into a "Winter Wonderland" of sorts with holiday lights coating local shops, lamp posts, city trees, and residential houses since Thanksgiving. different areas might have their very own ways to celebrate the “last but not least” holiday season of the year, so your experience may vary. but there's no doubt that no matter where you go in the US, you'll at least get to see some sort of adorable holiday decorations. Although most people begin preparing and decorating in late November, many people who are so passionate about the holidays spend all year planning their decorations. my roommate is extremely excited for Christmas and New Year in which she has kept singing “it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas” since Halloween. last year, one of my friends in the dorm put in a ton of effort to decorate her room, especially her little Christmas tree since the start of the year and left it till the end of the school year. looking at all the hundreds of decorations and light strings around her room, i couldn’t imagine how much time it took her to finish this “project”. she should have spent all her free time through the year preparing for the holidays. passing her room, nine out of ten people would stop by and stare at the room for a few seconds. the reward of seeing people enjoy their holiday season and sharing this joy with friends, family, or total strangers is something that she must be looking forward to all year.
as a foreign student studying in the US, it can be something completely special and memorable to experience the holidays. with the coronavirus pandemic, though, it may feel like your ability to spend the holidays together is incredibly limited. Although it may be true that these kinds of limitations on celebrations may make certain traditional forms of celebrating more difficult and that certain customs may have to be swept off the table to prevent putting people at risk, the spirit of the holiday is still there. While the pandemic has caused a lot of people to be apart, it should be used as a way to get closer to those who are physically around you, which would make the holiday experience much more special. one fun thing you can do is drive around the city, sightsee the decorations and enjoy the winter vibes with the people you live with. if you get to stay with your family or relatives over the vacation, make sure to take full advantage of the time you've spent together, since the holidays are the best time to get in touch. i’ve stayed with my brother a total of 6 months since the covid19 hit the US which we switched from cat and dog to sibling relationship.
this holiday season, don’t forget to stay socially distanced and bond with people you are living with; yo
u will end up making memories that you will cherish forever. finally, as we are approaching the last few days of the year, i hope your holidays are exciting and you’re ready to take on the New Year!!!