Thanksgiving has come and gone and that means that it is officially Christmas time! It is now socially acceptable to listen to Christmas music nonstop. Yay! The Christmas season is my favorite time of year. My family has certain holiday traditions that define our Christmas, and I want to share them with you all, along with some of my favorite Christmas memories.
Decorating the Tree.
One of my favorite things to do when I am home for Winter Break is decorate the tree. I especially love to see my brothers decorate it. This year, however, three ornaments were broken. I did not do it though. My brothers and sister did. The only problem I have with decorating the tree is that my cat loves to climb it, and when she does things tend to break. When I am home I enjoy getting up early before anyone else just to sit in the dark with the tree on and a cup of coffee. It is one of my happy places.
Watching the Dancing Christmas Lights.
Every year my family piles in the car to go look at Christmas lights. While there are beautiful lights all over the city (I'm from Jacksonville) the best are at Jax Beaches. One of the neighborhoods has a cul-de-sac in which the houses decorate their yards and exterior to the max and set the lights to music. They have their very own radio station and we can sit in the car, turn to the station, and watch as the lights dance to the music.
Night of Lights in St. Augustine, Florida.
Another family tradition is to drive to St. Augustine at night and view the lights that hang from the trees in Old Downtown. If you wear 3D glasses the lights look like exploding stars.
Baking.
I LOVE COOKIES. Every year my mom and I bake cookies. Our favorites are Oatmeal M & M, Pecan Cookies (which taste amazing with coffee, and are my morning snack when I sit up with the tree) and chocolate chip cookies. While baking we jam out to Christmas music and sneak bites of the cookie dough. It is one of the perks. That and getting to eat the cookies right out of the oven. Unfortunately we can't bake until after school lets out, so until then I have no cookies to help me get through finals.
Watching Christmas Movies.
The Hallmark Channel is amazing. Their original movies keep the spirit of the season fresh and their 25 Days of Christmas special plays all of my favorites. I will never tire of the Home Alone movies, the Santa Clause series, or the original classic animated films. After a semester of watching little TV, I can guarantee that at least a few days of my break will be spent snuggled up with a blanket and a cup of hot chocolate, watching all of my Christmas favorites.
Celebrating Baby Jesus.
After all the music, gifts, and food, the Christmas holiday comes down to what is really important: celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ. Every year at my Grandmothers house we bake a birthday cake for Baby Jesus and sing to him.
Let us all remember the simple things this holiday season. Merry Christmas!
