Christmas has always been my favorite part of the year. I get to go home after always a miserable finals week and finally get to relax. But that’s not my favorite part.

For the past handful of years, my dad’s side of my family has taken my oldest nephew to Santa’s Village and it’s purely magical with the snow, and all the Christmas lights. Don’t even get me started on the light show they do when it starts to get dark. Seeing the smile on my family, and especially my nephew’s face brings tears to my eyes because it really feels magical. Like Christmas. It’s the perfect way to kick off Christmas Break!

Last year, my world turned upside down in the fall of my first semester at the University of Maine. My Mimi, my best friend, and inspiration was diagnosed with stage four colon cancer. It felt like my world shattered and I was walking on broken eggshells. I mean, we all were. Last Christmas I didn’t know how long I had with my Mimi, we were going to try out some treatment plans, and try to kick Cancer’s ass for as long as we could.

I grew up in a huge family. I have cousins all in the same age group, besides my two youngest cousins and we always celebrate the holidays together on my mom’s side. Christmas is the biggest one we celebrate and writing this article I smile because I am so blessed to have the family that I have.

On Christmas Eve we go to my family’s church, where my Mimi was a deacon and we always take up almost two church pews. (I told you, there was a ton of us.) We sing all the Christmas songs out of the dusty old pews and sing Silent Night with candles in our hands, and that’s the only light that fills the church. And it just makes my heart sing and brings tears to my eyes. (I'm an emotional person, okay.) It’s the little things, but last Christmas I really realized what Christmas was about.

I grew up in a religious family, and of course, Christmas for us was about when Jesus was born. Yet Christmas for me is also about the Italian subs after the Christmas service, waiting for my aunt and uncle to show up because they are late to everything, and sitting on the floor fighting over the order of who opens their Christmas presents first.

It isn’t even about what you get for Christmas, how many presents you get, or who they are from. Christmas for me is spending time with my family every chance I get because I don’t know how much longer I will have with them, and especially my Mimi and Boppa.

These Christmas traditions are traditions I know I’m going to carry down with my children, once I have my own family someday. Even if I move far away and can’t come home for Christmas, I still want part of my family there. I know I won’t have my family around forever, that’s not how the world works. So, this Christmas, I am going to remember what Christmas really is about.

This holiday season hold your families close, and remember what the true season is about.