Guys, it's that time of year again. Christmas time has finally returned!
Personally, this is my favorite time of the year. Everyone and everything is a little bit nicer despite the chill that bites through the air. Besides, all of those holiday decorations make everything feel better!
The time has come again to snuggle up on the couch with some hot chocolate and a warm blanket to watch Freeform's '25 Days of Christmas' marathon. Everyone has a favorite movie, from 'Rudolph' to 'A Christmas Story'. Nothing can compare to inviting over friends and having an all-day Christmas movie marathon and swapping holiday traditions and stories.
Date nights cannot compare to Christmas time dates; there are so many festive and romantic options! Ice skating is everywhere, which is the perfect opportunity to hold mittened hands as you slide around the ice together. Taking a drive through the local neighborhoods to look at all of the decorated houses can be a warmer alternative, especially if you grab a latte or cocoa beforehand. Plus, you can listen to festive Christmas carols while doing so!
Decorating the house for the season can make the coldest afternoon warm and fuzzy feeling. Trimming the tree, hanging the stockings, and lighting the Christmas lights can be both incredibly fun and also be somewhat sentimental. Most of us have ornaments remembering our sibling's (and our!) first Christmases, and we all have our homemade ornaments from when we were six and made little Rudolph's out of popsicle sticks. Sure, most of them are missing an eye or are falling to bits, but they still have to go on the tree next to the fancy ones because all ornaments are equal at the end of the day.
Christmas cookies are one of my favorite parts of the holiday season. Whether you're making them from scratch or using the Tollhouse cut-and-bake ones that have prints of little Christmas trees on them, these sugary cookies are an absolute delight. Having cookie decorating parties are an excellent idea to get groups of friends together, especially when you're trying to get the gang back together on break from school! Because who can say no to a Santa shaped cookie slathered in icing and sprinkles?
Lastly, and most certainly not least, are the presents. I'm not talking about receiving them, however! Giving gifts is one of my favorite parts of the holiday season. I am all about Secret Santa exchanges and participate in as many as I can. I love coming up with the perfect gift to give someone, as it really makes you think closely about your friends and family. Besides, nothing beats the look on the receiver's face as they open your hand-picked or hand-made present just for them.
As the song would say, "It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas," and I am so thrilled for everything about it.
