The First Sunday in Advent: The Start of the Christmas Season

The official beginning!

Traditionally, the season to be jolly officially begins on the First Sunday of Advent. 

That first Sunday often comes on Thanksgiving weekend, which in recent years has grown into a new tradition -- Black Friday!

That's the day that the Christmas gift-buying season kicks off. Many stores compete for consumers' dollars with rock-bottom prices on popular items with sales that begin as early as midnight on the Friday after Thanksgiving.

Now, let's go light the tree!