By Ashani Williams || Layout Assistant

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas

Everywhere you go

Take a look at the five and ten, it’s glistening once again

With candy canes and silver lanes that glow

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas

Toys in every store

But the prettiest sight to see is the holly that will be

On your own front door

Like Bing Crosby sang, “It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas.” At least to me, it is. Anyone who even slightly knows me knows that from November 1 to December 26, I become the most holiday spirited person ever. It wouldn’t be an unusual sight to walk into my kitchen on any night and see me baking cookies while watching a Christmas movie in some themed pajama set. It’s just because I love the holiday season! I love the holiday spirit, the coziness, and the closeness I feel with my family and friends. I love the annual traditions my family has in my living room every year. So each year around this time I’m itching to go home, to go to the Christmas Village with my home friends, or pick out the tree with my family, or go ice skating.

I am fortunate enough to have such great memories associated with this time of year, but I also know this cheerful experience isn’t always shared. Because I spend this time of the year so locally with my family, my holiday season won’t look much different. Unfortunately, the pandemic has affected many people and events this year, and it doesn’t plan on stopping for the holidays.

But even before the COVID-19 pandemic, some people truly did not share the same joy that I have for the holiday season, for any variety of reasons, but the added stress of the pandemic aspect surely can make it worse. For example, the other day, my friend was telling me about her holiday traditions, which consisted of traveling to the country where her family is from. But unfortunately due to COVID-19, this year, their borders are closed. Luckily, she can have a cheerful season filled with love and happiness with her family at home here, but this made me wonder how many people are experiencing a totally different holiday season? How many people are dreading this time of the year due to the hardships occurring? Or, how many people just usually dread this time of the year?

Whether it’s deadly diseases or racism continuously infecting our nation, or the inner battles our acquaintances may be fighting, we are currently facing much distress and sorrow. With this in mind, it is important to always act with kindness, now more than ever.

It may seem like we can’t salvage much, but maybe we can still salvage the happy holiday spirit.

Junior Ashani Williams is a layout assistant. Her email is awillia7@fandm.edu.