by Izaak Garcia
Making an indisputable case for the best three month-stretch of the year.
Let’s be honest here: The progression of holidays, from the beginning of October until the end of December, is the best time of the year, no contest. Now I know that may seem like a broad statement with absolutely no concrete evidence to support it, but just hear me out for a second.
We start in the month of October, the somewhat beginning of fall. The weather gets colder, and the leaves fall off the red and orange trees, signaling seasonal change. As the temperature lowers, the fall clothes start to come out. Warm scarves, long sweatpants, and comfy sweatshirts dominate fall attire as the transition to winter is in full swing. And to top it all off, the spookiest day of the year, Halloween. Kids and adults alike, running around in costumes, asking for candy from everyone and anyone they can find. Scary movies flood the television and streaming platforms, from the classics like Nightmare on Elm Street and Friday the 13th to modern-day frights like The Conjuring and Barbarian.
And just like that, November is here, bursting in with cold gusting winds and perhaps even a little bit of snow. Día de los Muertos starts the month off right, with the celebration of those who have passed on, and a remembrance of the life we have now. The temperature continues to drop, and on top of those sweatshirts and sweatpants, puffy overcoats and winter jackets make their annual comeback. The leaves continue to fall from the trees, leaving them barren and lifeless, and in the mornings, frost starts to form on the grass, freezing it in place. In the midst of all this, finally, the fourth Thursday of the month comes: Thanksgiving. Turkeys galore, mountains of food, and most importantly, people to celebrate it with. Pies and baked sweets are made, and every year, the difference between pumpkin and sweet potato pie is argued (or at least that’s what happens at my house). In the background, football plays on the TV, and upon closer examination, it seems as if the Dallas Cowboys are getting beat… again. But, even with all these wonderful holidays, the best part of the year has yet to come.
Christmas! Hanukkah! Kwanzaa! No matter which of these holidays, as well as others, are celebrated during the month of December, there is no doubt about it: this is the best time of the year. Decorations of all colors sprinkle buildings and houses, and the lights of candles dance in the comfy homes of people across the country. Christmas trees go up, and ornaments are hung. Music is sung, danced to, and made as gifts are given and received. And if we’re lucky, snow falls during the night, creating a winter wonderland for everyone to play in the next day. With all this evidence, it’s almost impossible to dispute that this time of year is simply the best.
About Izaak Garcia
Izaak Garcia is currently a freshman at the University of Southern California, majoring in Cinema and Media Studies with a minor in Applied Cybersecurity. He has played soccer with FC Peoria, Dunlap, and Richwoods for over a decade combined. Garcia has also played tennis for 4 years, securing a spot on both junior varsity and varsity teams. Along with this, he has competed with the Richwoods Worldwide Youth Science and Engineering team for Biology and English for 2 years and earned multiple awards for the school. Garcia is also heavily involved with the arts. As a multi-instrumentalist, he has played the saxophone for 8 years and piano for 2 years. During his junior year of high school, he was involved in theater at Richwoods as stage crew and manager. He helped with two productions and was being trained to be stage manager for senior year before the COVID-19 pandemic impacted school. Outside of school activities, Garcia is involved in Jack and Jill of America (an organization for young African American men and women to serve the community). He served as his chapter’s treasurer during his freshman year of high school. Along with Jack and Jill of America, he enjoys coding, learning new languages, and playing video games.
Art by Aryanne Westfall
Ary Westfall is a junior Interactive Media major and Theatre Arts minor attending Bradley University. She is the social media manager for DAT, creates webcomics in her free time, and enjoys all forms of sequential art. Ary hopes to break into the comic world or find work in pre-production art for television.