How It Feels To Celebrate Multiple Winter Holidays

The thing that most people forget when they ask what holiday you celebrate is that some of us don't celebrate just one holiday in November and December. In fact, some of us were handed more than one holiday, and were given a choice to celebrate whatever we wanted. And that often meant bouncing between holidays, soaking them all in, and strategizing about when to give holiday gifts. (Of course, there's nothing wrong with being handed just one holiday too, but right now I'm here for all the peeps who are caught between two to five different holidays.) The fact is, from November to January there are a LOT of holidays that take place — and when you're caught between a few, it's amazing, but it can also be hard to keep up with all the traditions.

Personally, I celebrate just about everything. My dad is Jewish, I went to Catholic school, and my mom is Hindu. So, I celebrate Diwali, Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas, and am pretty much down for anything that falls in between. Unfortunately, that doesn't mean I get three-to-four times the presents, nor do I get presents for every night of Hanukkah. Though I have received presents from my dad, who still goes by the "Hanukkah Monster" when giving out holiday gifts. Here are seven things only people who celebrate multiple winter holidays understand:

1. You Have To Keep A LOT Of Days Straight

And honestly, it's a challenge. Hanukkah starts on a different day every year, and it's hard to keep track of which day you're on sometimes.

2. And You Were Jealous Of The Kids Who Only Had One Tradition They Stuck To

Just because we celebrate other things doesn't mean we don't love Santa too. I'm a Santa fan. Though not all of us grew up thinking he was real. If no one in your family celebrates Christmas, generally they don't bother to lie to you about Santa.

3. You Spent Most Of The Holiday Season As A Child Explaining To Your Friends That No, You Don't Get Extra Gifts

Though, to be honest, you never understood why you don't get triple the presents if you celebrate three holidays. (Retroactive hint hint, wink wink.)

4. Your Holiday Playlist Is The Most Eclectic Sh*t The Internet Has Ever Seen

You found ALL the music types, and you have them divided up by holiday, and locked and loaded. Bob Dylan's Christmas carols? Check. Adam Sandler singing about Hanukkah? CHECK. Sorry not sorry, neighboring coworkers.

5. You Look Forward To The Different Food Components That Come With Each Holiday

Basically, you just EAT and eat and eat and eat from November through January. You relish every single one of the foods unique to whatever it is you're celebrating that week. And because you've been embracing multiple cultures for your entire life, you're also very down to eat other family's traditional foods. If a significant other brings you home for the holidays, and their family serves up some weird gelatinous family delicacy they only trot out at Christmas, you're on board.

6. You Know To Stock Up On Candles, Because Most Of The Holidays You Celebrate In The Winter Months Are Going To Involve Candles

Think about it: Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanza, Winter Solstice AND Diwali all require candles. This is preteen you's Bath & Body Works dreams all come to life and then some.

7. You Are So Sick Of Getting The Question, "But What Do You ACTUALLY Celebrate?"

No one likes playing favorites on holidays between what their mom celebrates, their dad celebrates, and all their friends celebrate. So, like, how can we make this more clear? We celebrate it all. There isn't just one main attraction in our holiday season. It's not a sprint to one holiday. It's a marathon, and we just rack up the holidays as we go.

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