What if I told you that you could combine Thanksgiving and your birthday to create an awesome hybrid holiday? What if I told you it already is in existence? Well, it is! It’s called Christmas!  Of course, everyone has a preference as to what the best holiday is. Just bear with me, here. I am going to give you a few reasons why, in my personal opinion, Christmas trumps all other special days of the year.  

1. Family. 

Obviously, Christmas is one of the most popular times of the year to see the extended family that you see once in a blue moon. Some of you may dread this, but nothing makes me happier than seeing aunts, uncles, grandparents and cousins that I haven’t seen since the previous Christmas. Also, for us college students, winter break gives us a much longer time to see our family, while also giving us time to visit friends, if we want.      

2. Presents. 

Not to sound selfish, but who doesn’t love this aspect of Christmas? Although it is not as exciting anymore, now that we know Santa doesn’t squeeze himself down our narrow chimneys to drop them off, it is still something to look forward to. Waking up to a tree with presents is like checking your class grade and seeing that your final exam gave you an A in a class. Nothing quite beats the feeling. Along with this, giving others presents is just as satisfying, if not more.     

3. Food. 

Going back to my reference about the Thanksgiving/birthday hybrid holiday -- this is what I was talking about. Having an incredibly prepared home cooked meal of turkey or ham is the cherry on top of the best holiday of the year. Being surrounded by family while eating makes it 100 times better, as well.      

4. Stress free. 

Now that we are college students, any way to eliminate stress is welcomed. What’s more stress relieving than a month between semesters? Not a whole lot. So go home, relax, and enjoy watching Christmas movies instead of spending hours in the library studying for exams.      

5. Music. 

There is no possible way to dislike Christmas music, seeing as it is the reason for all things joyful in the world. Sure, they might start playing it way too early on the radio, but who cares! I need at least part of my year to be filled-to-the-brim with, “Here Comes Santa Claus,” and “Jingle Bell Rock.”          

Need more convincing? I doubt it. Personally, I am ecstatic for Christmas to arrive. I hope you all have a very merry Christmas, and that you can de-scrooge-ify any of the Christmas haters.