It's the most joyful time of the year! Stockings are hung, you're making your Christmas list, and the tacky sweaters you found at Goodwill four years ago are coming out from the back of the closet. For centuries, Christmas has been a time of giving, a time of celebration, and an opportunity to spend time with your loved ones. The ways of celebrating this magical time of year have both changed and stayed the same throughout the years. Decorating your home, watching Christmas movies, and shopping for gifts to give to your closest family and friends have carried through the years. However, we have some new, modern traditions to add. So with that, I give you my own Jeff Foxworthy-themed take on Christmas in 2015 called "It Might Be Christmas If..."
1) It might be Christmas if... Netflix adds a Christmas category to its lineup.
While ABC Family's "25 Days of Christmas" will always reign supreme (note I said ABC Family, not that new Freeform name they're trying to force upon us), Netflix helps fill in the cracks in case you miss one of your favorites one night. It has some of the classics such as "Charlie Brown's Christmas Special" but also has some of the more adult humor ones like "Bad Santa."
2) It might be Christmas if... there's a show on TLC dedicated to light displays.
"Crazy Christmas Lights" is my new favorite show on TLC. It involves the host traveling all over the country to see over the top light displays at people's homes, each one more insane than the one before. One of my favorite winter pastimes is driving around looking at Christmas lights, so this zany way of showing spirit by covering the houses in decorations is fine by me!
3) It might be Christmas if... your favorite music artist releases a holiday album.
Christmas music is one of the defining characteristics of the holiday season, so it's not surprising that many music artists release EPs around this time with the classics. I suggest giving Lady Gaga's "White Christmas" a listen!
4) It might be Christmas if... there's at least three radio stations playing Christmas music at all times.
Piggybacking off of number three, you can listen to this coveted music at all times of day during this enchanting season (well, actually, you've been able to do this since October pretty much... but we won't worry about details). During my commute to work I'm constantly on edge, hoping that Mariah Carey's classic "All I Want For Christmas Is You" will come on so I can belt it out for all the cars around me to hear.
5) It might be Christmas if... people are wearing Santa hats in all of their social media posts.
A random object that most people wouldn't think is useful to own is a Santa hat. During holiday parties it's always the perfect touch to any outfit, so naturally everyone is putting up cute Instagram posts with their friends wearing Santa hats or changing their profile pictures on Facebook to a selfie wearing one. Or maybe this is just me.
6) It might be Christmas if... you have access to unlimited Christmas-themed baked goods.
There's a reason people's cheeks get a little fuller during the holidays—and this is it! Christmas dinners, Christmas parties, white elephant gift exchanges, etc. all tend to have an array of drinks and sweets to enjoy. All of the treats look so pretty that you have to try them all, right?
7) It might be Christmas if... you see a Christmas tree in almost every window that you drive by.
The Christmas tree is the king of all Christmas decorations. In the old days, these trees were considered special because they were evergreen, meaning they stayed green all year. Queen Victoria is the one who made it a household tradition by decorating one in the palace in England. While some people still go to their local Christmas tree farm to chop down their very own tree every year, others head to department stores to buy artificial ones that can be used over and over again. Mostly these artificial trees are green, but unnatural colors such as pink, silver, and white have been growing in popularity, as well as fake flocking on the ends of the branches. Don't think that I'm judging, though; my Christmas tree at home is like the five rings... golden!
8) It might be Christmas if... department stores sell items they can't sell any other time of year.
When can our favorite stores charge $30 for a box of cookies, $40 for an ornament, and $200 for a tree? At Christmas, of course! The department stores go all-out for the most wonderful time of the year, and something about those holiday display windows and decorated columns makes me want to spend all my money.
And finally...
9) It might be Christmas if... you attempt to make a gingerbread house (and fail).
It always looks so much better on the box.
Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and Wondrous Kwanzaa to everyone! Enjoy the rest of the holiday season!