Many people do something like this by creating a virtual switch and using that virtual switch as a "Restriction" in Basic Rule or as part of a required expression (or perhaps other feature if you want to be more selective about what you restrict) in Rule Machine.
For example, you can create a restriction that says the Basic Rule will only run if the virtual switch is on, and you can make a required expression in Rule Machine saying that the switch must be on -- both accomplishing the goal of not doing anything when it's off. Then you can just turn the switch on this time of year, turn it off when you're done, and the apps won't do anything in the meantime. And you don't have to go into every app every time to pause, disable, etc. the app after this (though you will, of course, have to go into each app to make the change to add the virtual switch as part of your automation once -- it can't read your mind).
Here's how I'm doing in in a Basic Rule where I want to disable the rule when my "Christmas Automations Enable" virtual switch that I created for this purpose is off (as it is most of the year):
Again, this is an example of what it looks like in this particular app. In RM, you could make a required expression instead, and most other apps have some similar feature to restrict or modify their behavior.
A variation of the virtual switch idea ... I use global variables for holiday timing.
The situation you describe might check once per day whether month = 11 or 12 and set a global Boolean variable (something like @@isChristmas).
I am not fluent in Rule Machine. Is there a way to pause rules? It can be done in webCoRE, but that is a whole other topic. Something like that would accomplish the goal of not going into each rule to make changes.
This is a neat idea! However, Basic Rule can't work with global variables, which is why I suggested a simple virtual switch (which could also be used with voice control, on an Easy Dashboard or "Devices" in the mobile app, etc.). So could a variable connector, I suppose, but then the variable itself isn't really doing anything for you...
There is a "Pause" feature, but the option of using the required expression I suggested will prevent the rule from triggering in response to this device state. You'd still need some way to pause the rules if you went that option (could be manually, could be another rule), so I think a required expression in each is more straightforward.
This is why I do almost all of my automations in Rule Machine. It makes it easier to look in one place.
I just use the 'Disable' toggle on the Apps homepage to 'turn off' my Christmas rules until next year. (Other than a global virtual switch, I don't see how I could automate it any further. When the Christmas decorations get setup and taken down will vary from year to year.)
Use 2 rules, one to resume rules on Nov. 1 and one to pause rules on Jan. 1. Here's an example of the pause rule. It should work to pause Basic Rules as well as Rule Machine rules.
I use virtual switch to pause and resume groups of rules. I do this for holidays and vacations. Turn on the Christmas switch and it will pause some rules and resume others. Turn it off and it does the reverse.
Not this poster, but I showed you a screenshot in my first post above:
This is in Basic Rule. In Rule Machine, you'd add the switch being on as a required expression instead (or find some other way to do this -- there are many -- but that is the most analogous).
For RM, I like to create what I refer to as device "OMNIBUS" rules - that is, all HE interactions with that device go through that singular rule. I find it makes debugging weeks/months/years down the road a lot easier.
It also makes things like "HOLIDAY OMNIBUS" much smoother. I have a "HOLIDAY" virtual switch, and the OMNIBUS rule starts with this:
