Christmas is such a magical time of year that can bring so much happiness and love to all. From the music and movies, lights and decorations, and time spent with family and friends, there really is no other season like it. I have loved Christmas season since I was a kid, and even though some of my reasons for it may have changed a little since then, it's still my favorite time of year. And I know I'm not the only one who feels this way, either. So now that Thanksgiving has come and gone, I'd like to dedicate this article to the wonderful holiday that is Christmas.
One of the best things about Christmas is seeing all of the lights and decorations both inside and outside of houses. Everywhere you go you are surrounded by holiday spirit in the form of decked-out Christmas trees, icicle lights hanging from roofs, and giant light-up or inflatable Christmas-related figures in people's front yards. There was nothing better at Christmastime when I was a kid than driving through the lights in the park or just driving around town and seeing all the decorations on all the houses and businesses. It was, and still is, cool to see the different ways people decorate their Christmas trees when you visit their houses too.
But seeing the lights and decorations is only half the fun. Getting to put up the decorations, for the most part, is another equally enjoyable Christmas tradition. Nothing beats spending the day after Thanksgiving putting up and decorating your Christmas trees with your family while classic Christmas tunes play in the background to get you even more in the holiday spirit. The process may be somewhat tedious, but it's all worth it for the next two (or more) months when you're able to turn on the Christmas tree in whatever room you're in to relax you and brighten your mood.
That brings me to another one of my most favorite things about Christmas: Christmas music. I know it's not everyone's cup of tea, but to them I say "bah humbug!" As soon as Black Friday rolls around, the only radio stations you will find me listening to for the next month or so are the ones that play Christmas music 24-7. There is just something so beautiful and wonderful and nostalgic about Christmas songs that I don't know how anyone could hate them. And there's such a variety of music, too, from the timeless classics by Bing Crosby and Nat King Cole to the more recent remakes by modern artists. I'll admit that not all of the recent ones are gems, but it's still a sad day for me when my Christmas radio stations return to regular programming.
In addition to listening to Christmas music, another favorite holiday pastime is indulging in all of the Christmas movies that take over the TV channels. You've got the cartoon classics, the comedies, the Lifetime movies--you name it; there's just about a Christmas movie for all of us, young and old. Yes, some of the movies may be cheesy or geared toward kids, but isn't childhood nostalgia a major theme of Christmas anyway? That nostalgia, laughter, and genuineness is part of what makes Christmas movies so great. And you can't tell me you wouldn't enjoy curling up under a big blanket with a mug of hot chocolate to watch some of your Christmas favorites. Especially not when the long list of Christmas movies includes "It's a Wonderful Life," "Christmas Vacation," "Elf," "The Grinch," "The Santa Clause," "Polar Express," "Rudolph," and countless others.
Being off school for Christmas break and the occasional (extremely rare at UW-L) snow day is another perk for students during Christmas season. It's nice to have that break in the middle of the year where we don't (shouldn't) have to stress about school for once. We also get the chance to see our friends more outside of school, or just in general if they go to different schools and are back for the break.
The last two important parts of Christmas I'd like to mention sort of go hand-in-hand: family and food. One of my favorite things about Christmas is getting to spend time with my loved ones, while enjoying the deliciously prepared food that Christmas is known for. The good food is a nice change of pace for a poor college kid like myself. Hot chocolate, eggnog, and Christmas cookies are also nice little holiday treats. What's even more special about Christmas though is getting to see family you haven't seen in a while, especially when that family lives across the country and you haven't seen them in a very long time.
If you couldn't already tell from this article or from knowing me personally, I love Christmas and pretty much everything about it with a passion. Its entire atmosphere of love, happiness, belief, and childhood nostalgia just really gets to me. There's nothing quite like it. It truly is the most wonderful time of the year.
