This Thanksgiving break was a well needed holiday away from school. I spent it “cooking”, eating, shopping, and relaxing with my family. I am an introvert. I like to cuddle up in a blanket, grab my pint of ice-cream (I’m convinced strawberry ice-cream is healthy because like it has strawberries in it so it’s like a frozen fruit smoothie really), and read a book or watch movies. It just feels so cozy. I’m not going to lie. I only left my house twice: to get groceries, and do some holiday shopping. Don’t get me wrong, I love nature and everything, but I tend to get a little lazy around the holidays. I believe in the philosophy of hibernation. Yes, I know that I am not a bear, but when it’s chilly outside, there is no better feeling than wearing fluffy socks (do guys wear fluffy socks or is that like not cool?) and making the home all warm and comfy. Eating and sleeping seem like nice ways to de-stress to me. Bears have the right idea going on.

Don’t get me started on candles. I absolutely love candles. Especially those that smell like Christmas in a jar (the apple, cinnamon, pine, ughhh it’s just amazing). Don’t judge me, okay. It’s almost December and thanksgiving is over, so I feel like I can talk about it. Anyways, when the weather is kind of chilly (I know we live in the south and northerners are like laughing at us, but whatever guys), it feels so good to relax at home, bake cookies, and stay in bed all day. I do enjoy going holiday shopping because everyone is all excited and people just seem happier (well, some are running around stressed out, but I am going to focus on those happy people, ok? Ok.). Now, I don’t know if that’s just a great retail secret. “Act happy so the customers think we are nice people and then they will buy stuff from us.” Well, it works on me. I just want to donate more, and I don’t even think about it. I won’t have any spare change, but it’s like the holidays so whatever… give everything away!!!! I'll give $10 to the salvation army (which I know isn’t like a lot, but I’m a broke kid in college so I mean it’s all I have), or $10 to the Greenville Humane society (I love kittens but I could go on and on about that), or to the Breast Cancer Awareness Society. You get the idea. I mean it’s Christmas. The time to be merry and spread Christmas joy everywhere! Seriously, happiness is one thing where the more you give away, the happier you feel in return. Like honestly, when you do something nice for someone, you just get that warm little tingle inside, and you think to yourself, “Good job human. You did a nice selfless act. I’m proud of you.” I’m not saying donate half your salary during Christmas, but something as simple as holding the door for someone can be special. So I’ve managed to rant about candles, naps, fluffy socks, food, friends, Christmas, and family.

Another thing I love about the holidays: home decor and lights. I love seeing people decorate their yards, and seeing those cute lights on all the trees downtown and well practically everywhere. It makes everything so festive. People put up their inflatable Santa Claus, reindeer, and sleighs. *happy* sigh. So freaking wonderful.

And the smells.

It smells like heaven. Cinnamon. Peppermint. A tradition for me was making cookies and hot chocolate and watching the Polar Express. It started in Kindergarten and even in college I'm going to do it again. Drinking chocolate. I mean, really, can it get better than that? Also, decorating gingerbread houses. Granted, I would eat most of the decorations, I loved having my own personal little gingerbread family and stuff. It was like an edible version of lego land. Peppermint bark is my life. If you have never had that, then firstly I am so sorry for you, you poor deprived soul. Never fear. I will post a link to the recipe for that below. I can't believe I forgot to mention my other tradition. You best believe that I have been checking the HallmarkChannel schedule for the movies. They have posted the entire schedule up until Christmas Eve!!!!! That is what I call staying on top of the game. Good job, Hallmark. And let's not forget the Home Alone Series. Macaulay Culkin definitely isn't as cute anymore. A lot has changed since 1990 though.

Oh my god. Can you tell that I love the holidays? And the break from books and school and all that gross stuff? Perfect. Praise the lord for Christmas. No pun intended.

Oh, I went ice-skating for the first time. Some of you are probably thinking dang we went ice-skating when we were 7. Good for you! But I’m an introvert and I don’t really like to try new things. Is that weird? Like I like the idea of trying them; I have a bucket list of all the things I want to do and experience but actually doing them requires a lot of motivational brain talks. It goes like this: “Shivani, don’t be lame. Get out of bed right now. Seriously. And go do something!!!! Anything.” So last Friday, my friends literally showed up on my doorstep and took me ice skating at the Pavilion. I fell 10 times, and every time my friends laughed and took videos of me to post on snapchat. I was like Bambi on ice. But after they uploaded videos of me screaming, “I’m going to dieeeeeeeeee,” they would rush to my rescue and help me get up. I have roller skated before but ice skating is a whole different ball game. It is so hard to balance, and it’s like impossible to stop. I’m pretty sure the other skaters laughed at me too, but I really had fun. I did something I wasn’t good at (and initially was afraid of trying it because I didn’t want to look silly), but honestly I had a blast looking silly. It’s a memory I will never forget. And that is what the holidays are about.

*I was serious about posting that recipe. You're welcome.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-ki...