I told myself I wouldn’t do it.

I said I wouldn’t listen to Christmas music until November, maybe not until Thanksgiving. But somehow I found myself listening to the new Pentatonix Christmas album six days before the end of October. How did I get here? What have I done??

Okay, maybe that’s a little dramatic, but there are a lot of people out there who can’t stand the thought of listening to Christmas music too soon. Usually, I’m one of those people who wants to save traditions until the appropriate time. I’m afraid that if I don’t, they will lose some of their meaning and I won’t appreciate them as much. But for the last couple of years, I’ve been a little easier on myself when it comes to Christmas music.

There are a lot of things throughout the year that can weigh on our spirits, from mundane life to real trials. This year, we’ve just been through a lot as a nation, culminating in our election and the ensuing riots last week. I’ve had kind of a rough year personally, and maybe you have too, but Christmas is a time of year when we can stop and reset, when we can let the meaning of Christmas lighten our spirits. We can let the love, joy, and peace of the season soften our hearts and refresh us for the new year. Most importantly, it reminds us of the love God showed us when He sent His message of hope, joy, and peace through His son, a baby boy who would grow up to save us from our sins and the struggles of this world.

I’ve realized that I don’t want to relegate Christmas to just a month or two out of the year. No, I’m not going to leave my tree up all year (I love traditions, after all!), but this year, I need Christmas a little early. I don’t know what’s going on in your life, but maybe you need Christmas a little early too. So turn on the music if you want to, and let it sink into your mind and heart. Let God fill you with His peace and hope. Let the simple pleasures of Christmas, whether it be the music, the cheesy Hallmark movies, the lights, the red Starbucks cups ;), and especially time with family and friends, bring joy to your soul.