From the cozy winter to innumerable year-end celebrations, December has a lot to offer. Even if the rest of the year has been just okay, this month will be awesome simply because it's December! Here are 10 reasons why December is the best month of the year.

1. You give and get gifts.

Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, or Kwanza, December is a hub of festivities. You get the privilege of receiving and providing gifts. Apart from all the religious celebrations, there is also New Years Eve and the Winter Solstice. December also happens to be Human Rights month, which includes AIDS National Awareness Day. So basically, there are positive vibes every day.

2. Christmas movies, music, and lights.

Every December, my favorite movies come on: Elf, Polar Express, Home Alone, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas, and many others. As well, Christmas music is on repeat the entire month. It is hard not to be happy when watching one of these films or jamming out to Jingle Bell Rock. The best reminder of Christmas though, are the towns, campuses, and homes lit up with strings of brightly colored lights. Who doesn't enjoy driving around looking at Christmas lights?

3. Vacations that are much needed.

School is out for Winter Break in the month of December! This is the month where you get to go back to your hometown and reminisce with old friends and family. In college, we get a month off for this break. Every single day of it is much needed after finals week. Coming back from Winter Break you definitely feel rested and prepared for spring semester.

4. People send out family holiday cards and updates.

When I was younger, my favorite part about Christmas time was obviously the presents. But as I got older, receiving holiday cards from old family and friends throughout the month of December got more and more exciting for me. Having an opportunity to hear and catch up with families that you may have lost track of and seeing how they are is a gift of the holiday season. It brings a smile to your face every time!

5. Seasonal drinks are in full swing.

Life is not about the destination, but about the journey. Which is to say, Christmas is not the best part of December on its own. Rather, it is the little things that lead up to Christmas that make it so great, including the little things that we consume on a day to day basis. If those things also happen to include the words “peppermint,” “mocha,” or “eggnog,” then you’re doing the journey right.

6. Mistletoes galore.

December is the only time of year where dangling an herb over someone’s head will function as an effective replacement for a pick-up line, so I suggest you take advantage of it.

7. Bonfires, parties, and good company.

Whether it be a casual backyard bonfire with close friends you hadn't seen since summer or a fat New Year's Eve party which is essentially a high school reunion, the month of December is the perfect time for chilling out. The weather is finally cold enough to relax and celebrate with friends and family around you.

8. It is the best month to start job hunting.

Random I know, but during the month of December, many job-hunters take a break from their search to celebrate the holidays, leaving less competition and more slots. Plus, employers, and people in general, tend to absorb the generosity of those around them, making them more inclined to propose an interview or offer you the job.

9. It marks the end of one year, and beginning of another.

Maybe 2015 wasn’t your year. That’s understandable. Luckily, December marks the last month of the year, which means you are closer than ever to 2016 and all of the new beginnings that come with it. Even those New Year's Resolutions that you never keep.

10. The holiday cheer.

Ultimately though, December is the best month because everyone just seems a little more inclined to care. People are a little more compassionate, a little more giving, a little more willing to smile at strangers on the street or give a homeless person a few dollars. They are in the spirit of gift-giving and celebrating family, friends and life, and that just makes people more inclined to be appreciative and grateful. So enjoy the best time of the year!

P.S. - I wish snow would have made the list but we live in Arizona...