Bigger holidays, such as Christmas, Halloween and Valentine’s Day, are all obvious examples of why the build-up before a holiday is far better then the actual date. 

Decorating, shopping, watching movies and buying themed drinks for Christmas is more fun than opening a couple presents and having supper on the day-of.

Halloween is only fun for high-schoolers and adults if it’s spent at a Halloween party, which rarely takes place on the actual date. There’s limited fun on the real 31st of October. Handing out candy or watching a movie are really the only options to celebrate. Realistically, the best part of Halloween is the day after when Walmart has their candy and Halloween themed items 50% off.

Valentine’s day is another holiday ruined by school and only applies to certain audiences. It can be fun for people in happy relationships or elementary school students, but for others, Valentine’s Day is just another day. Walking into the store and seeing pink and red decorations is only enjoyable before the holiday starts. As soon as it is the 14th, high schoolers are stuck in a classroom and the only chocolates they’re getting are the ones they bought days before. 

Smaller holidays like Labor Day, Memorial Day and Martin Luther King Jr. Day are only looked forward to because of the break from school, not the holiday itself. Feeling the thrill or suspense before a long weekend takes away from whatever is supposed to be celebrated. 

Other holidays like Thanksgiving, New years and the 4th of July are other bigger holidays with specific events, making it easier to not waste the celebration on other days. Unfortunately, a Thanksgiving dinner, a New Year’s Eve countdown, or a 4th of July firework show can only last so long. These holidays only take up so much time in the day, so the rest of the day has the potential to be boring and overestimated. 

The holidays cleared on our schedules every year are not that great. All the suspense felt during the build-up to a holiday is more enjoyable than the day itself.