3 Little Reasons To Love The Holidays | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Lifestyle

3 Little Reasons To Love The Holidays

For when the chaos of December becomes too overwhelming.

Julia Passantino
Dec 05, 2016
Coe College
12
3 Little Reasons To Love The Holidays
The Fort Collins Museum of Art

I've always loved the holiday season. I love the cold and I love the community feeling. But, as I've gotten older I've noticed there's more stress around the holiday season. I, myself, am often stressed in December - overloaded with preparation for the end of the semester and with trying to find the perfect present for friends and family. Lately though, I've just wanted to slow down and appreciate the little things about the holidays.

The Music

I have a whole playlist just dedicated to holiday music that I wait all year to listen to and I am so excited to pull it out on December 1st (unless it snows before then, in which case I really can't help myself). My absolute favorite music to listen to after it's just snowed is Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker. There's a feeling of peace and quiet that comes with fresh fallen snow and The Nutcracker playing in the background. This ballet is my number one recommendation for people feeling stressed by the holidays.

The Smell

The aromas of cinnamon, pine trees, hot chocolate, and apple cider are amongst my favorite smells. I'm a huge believer that smell contributes to how you feel during the day and these smells make me feel like I'm all cozied up in a sweater. Even if I don't have a warm drink, the smell can compensate until I have the time to make or get myself one.

Decorations

Almost every town decorates for the holidays every year; they put lights in the trees and hanging over alleyways, they put semblances of pine around lampposts, and they put wreaths over doors or bridges. I am a huge believer in the environment that surrounds us influencing how we feel. For me, the holiday season is the one time of year I truly feel any town or city come together as a community. I find walking down lit streets that are decked out for the holidays fills me with content.

Now these are just three little things that, for me, make the holidays special - that make them a calming experience rather than a frantic one. There are many bigger reasons to love the season such as family, religion (for some people), or just a time of celebration but I find that these little things are what make the whole season work. It's the little things that calm me down and make me feel warm and fuzzy inside.


Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Featured

AI music threatens creativity

The Soul of Sound: How AI Challenges Human Expression in Music

240454
Humans and robots face off in a rock band battle with guitars and drums, under dynamic lighting.
StableDiffusion

In an age where artificial intelligence can mimic the voice of Freddie Mercury or reimagine pop hits as synthwave ballads, a new frontier has emerged — one that blurs the line between innovation and erosion. While AI offers undeniable benefits in technical domains, its intrusion into creative arts, especially music, raises urgent questions. Not just about copyright, but about culture, education, and the very soul of artistic expression.


Keep Reading...Show less
ai generated music
Entertainment

Every Girl Needs To Listen To 'She Used To Be Mine' By Sara Bareilles

These powerful lyrics remind us how much good is inside each of us and that sometimes we are too blinded by our imperfections to see the other side of the coin, to see all of that good.

Miami University
570767
Every Girl Needs To Listen To 'She Used To Be Mine' By Sara Bareilles

The song was sent to me late in the middle of the night. I was still awake enough to plug in my headphones and listen to it immediately. I always did this when my best friend sent me songs, never wasting a moment. She had sent a message with this one too, telling me it reminded her so much of both of us and what we have each been through in the past couple of months.

Keep Reading...Show less
music
Entertainment

Why Your Astrological Sign May Not Match Your Personality

We are all more than just one sign.

SUNY Plattsburgh
483954
Zodiac wheel with signs and symbols surrounding a central sun against a starry sky.

What's your sign? It's one of the first questions some of us are asked when approached by someone in a bar, at a party or even when having lunch with some of our friends. Astrology, for centuries, has been one of the largest phenomenons out there. There's a reason why many magazines and newspapers have a horoscope page, and there's also a reason why almost every bookstore or library has a section dedicated completely to astrology. Many of us could just be curious about why some of us act differently than others and whom we will get along with best, and others may just want to see if their sign does, in fact, match their personality.

Keep Reading...Show less
astrology
Entertainment

20 Song Lyrics To Put A Spring Into Your Instagram Captions

"On an island in the sun, We'll be playing and having fun"

UNC Greensboro
458173
Person in front of neon musical instruments; glowing red and white lights.
Photo by Spencer Imbrock on Unsplash

Whenever I post a picture to Instagram, it takes me so long to come up with a caption. I want to be funny, clever, cute and direct all at the same time. It can be frustrating! So I just look for some online. I really like to find a song lyric that goes with my picture, I just feel like it gives the picture a certain vibe.

Here's a list of song lyrics that can go with any picture you want to post!

Keep Reading...Show less
spring
Relationships

The Importance Of Being A Good Person

An open letter to the good-hearted people.

Sacred Heart University
724004
Chalk drawing of scales weighing "good" and "bad" on a blackboard.
WP content

Being a good person does not depend on your religion or status in life, your race or skin color, political views or culture. It depends on how good you treat others.

We are all born to do something great. Whether that be to grow up and become a doctor and save the lives of thousands of people, run a marathon, win the Noble Peace Prize, or be the greatest mother or father for your own future children one day. Regardless, we are all born with a purpose. But in between birth and death lies a path that life paves for us; a path that we must fill with something that gives our lives meaning.

Keep Reading...Show less
good person

Trending Topics

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments