How to Extend the Christmas Spirit Year Round

October 31, the day so many people eagerly wait for. It means tricks, treats, costumes, parties, and lots of candy. It's a time of jack o'lanterns with funny faces and the sweet smell of cinnamon and pumpkin. However, there are a few of us, including myself and Walmart, who are ready for another big holiday; Christmas!

Now, don't get me wrong; I love Halloween! I love seeing cute little kids dressed up in their costumes and I really get a kick out of carving pumpkins, but something just doesn't quite beat the joys, scents, tastes, and sights of Christmas.

For me personally, Halloween lost a lot of its magic after coming to college. Maybe that's because it was always a family affair. We would all carve pumpkins together and decorate the front yard to the nines. We lived in a big neighborhood and at times we had twenty kids in our door at once. After I turned fourteen I stopped trick o'treating, but I never lost my love for the festive day. My dad and I would put in a movie and pass out candy, taking in the sounds of happy children and the sweet scent of burnt pumpkin.

After coming to college I still was able to pass out candy to cute kids, but I only carved a pumpkin freshman year, and I only dressed up junior year. My parents sent me pictures of their celebrations.

Yet, despite my lack of excitement for Halloween, I've gained a newfound love for Christmas. I think it has a lot to do with the fact that on Christmas, I'm with family, I get to participate in decoration, and enjoy the company of my loved ones. The scents of pine and peppermint, the cheerful music, and the big beautiful ornaments on the trees bring me so much happiness. Not to mention, department stores start preparing for the winter holidays at the end of summer, so it's rather hard to avoid.

I realized that Christmas was my new favorite this year when after coming home from fall break, my friends and I studied to the sounds of Christmas music as we enjoyed nice, hot mugs of coffee. We all laughed, realizing we were a little early to the party, but I couldn't help but think, though somewhat guiltily, I was ready to take down those Halloween decorations we have up and start tossing tinsel everywhere.

I guess what I'm trying to get at is that favorite holidays can change, so just enjoy the the various holiday seasons, and try to get in the spirit of things, whatever the holiday may be. Who knows, maybe next year my favorite holiday will be St. Patrick's Day!