Every year after finals, I come home to my family ready to start the magical season -- even if I am a week or two late to the party. I create the magic in my house: I bake more goodies than I can give out, I make hundreds of intricate paper snowflakes, and I blast classic Christmas songs all throughout the house. Essentially, I am an elf for the two weeks after finals and before Christmas. I literally bought a Santa costume for my dog, and my sister and I have matching candy cane printed turtleneck sweaters. I’m pretty sure glitter falls from my footsteps and mistletoe grows in my path. But with my finals ending so closely to Christmas this year, I realized how much I’m going to miss having those few extra days to create the ambiance in my home. It made me realize that Christmas isn’t only about giving and receiving, it’s about the Christmas spirit.

This is a real picture of me and my house after I decorate it. PSA: I am Buddy the Elf.

Christmastime is “the most wonderful time of the year!” It’s “the season to be jolly!” I could quote other Christmas songs, but I won't. Seriously though, it’s about the magic and believing. It’s about this Christmas spirit that so many of us lose as we get older and have more responsibilities. Christmas is about reinstating that feeling of love and magic and spirit. Sure, it’s about giving and receiving and sweet baby Jesus, but it’s also about the feeling Santa gave us when we were little. Imagine a Christmas where you go to the church service to celebrate the birth of Jesus, and in the morning you exchange gifts. No Jingle Bells, no terribly wonderful Hallmark Christmas movies, no cookies. That’s such a dull Christmas. It might be a Christmas with love, but it’s a Christmas without spirit. There’s so many people out there who celebrate Christmas but aren’t even religious! They just like to be festive and party! It may be a little less traditional, but it’s OK, because at least they got half of Christmas down! My point is, it takes the Christmas spirit to truly make this holiday special.

Don't forget the most important principle of Christmastime.

As Buddy the Elf says: “The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear.” Sweet baby Jesus would want us to all spread happiness through caroling and cookies to each other during Christmastime. So wrap your gifts with obnoxiously huge bows and ribbon so tight that it takes forever for people to get it off. Bake more cookies than you can gift, just so you can save some for yourself. Christmastime is the time to give thanks for all that you have, but it’s so much more than that. To all my fellow elves: sing your songs and spread your cheer.