Editor’s Note: All opinion section content reflects the views of the individual author only and does not represent a stance taken by The Collegian or its editorial board.

We are constantly asked the question, “What’s your favorite holiday?” And 36% of Americans surveyed by YouGov said Christmas. It is somewhat understandable, as Christmas is supposed to be the most wonderful time of the year. Sure — Christmas has some notable qualities, but it is certainly not better than Halloween.

1. Halloween is less stressful

Everyone loves Christmastime, as it is filled with joy. Christmas is all about spending time with family, sharing gifts with loved ones, being thankful for what you have and cozying up by the fire. Each aspect makes Christmas special, but it’s also one of the most stressful times of the year.

During the holidays, many set expectations that Christmas will be magical and filled with spirit. But as you grow older, that time of year begins to get less and less exciting, which is extremely depressing. There is a lot of financial stress felt during the holidays, and with that comes with perfecting every gift for your loved ones. This can lead to anxiety and disappointment if you don’t accomplish everything you hoped.

2. Christmas Day is boring after 11 a.m.

A lot of people love Christmas for the build up throughout the month of December: decorating, picking a tree, shopping for gifts, drinking hot chocolate and ice skating. But Halloween certainly has the build up as well: fall decorations, going to the pumpkin patch, carving pumpkins and picking out a costume. The difference is that Halloween Day is so much better than Christmas Day. 

Christmas morning is great; you open your gifts, watch your family open their gifts, eat breakfast and share laughter. But then 11 a.m. rolls around, and the day seems like it is complete. You sit on the couch, watch your parents put all of the wrapping paper into the trash and then maybe go play with your gifts for an hour or two. But by lunchtime, the day feels like it’s over, and you grow bored.

But with Halloween, it’s an all-day event. As a kid, you get to wake up, put on your costume and show it off at school. I always loved that we had school on Halloween because we were allowed to dress up and have a little party with fun Halloween activities. After school, we got to go home for a while and then go trick-or-treating. Then trick-or-treating resulted in a yearlong supply of candy.

As a college kid, you still get to dress up as whatever you want, go to parties and eat as much candy as you please. Even if you aren’t into partying on Halloween, you can dress up in a fun costume and greet trick-or-treaters.

3. Fall is the best season

Sure, winter is great. But fall is the best season. The leaves make every day more exciting as they remind you of the beauty in our world. In fall, you get to bundle up on the couch with your friends, family and pets, but you can also go outside without your hair freezing to your face. 

During the winter, the weather can be unbearable. It can be dreadful going outside, which can result in social isolation. The winter weather is extremely unmotivating for many people. It can lead to seasonal depression and make the holiday season miserable; plus, driving in the snow is terrifying. So with Halloween being in the fall, most of the time we get decent weather, making it more enjoyable. 

But let me be clear: I am not a Christmas hater. It truly can be magical. It just comes with a lot of baggage, and therefore, Halloween is better.

Reach Charlotte Seymour at letters@collegian.com or on Twitter @CSUCollegian.