For many people, Christmas truly is the best time of the year. It's the time when family members come home, friends are reunited, and everyone seems to be in their best moods. Christmas time is fantastic and magical and perfect... unless like me, you're the last kid in the house.

Don't get me wrong- I still love Christmas to this day! I love everything about decorating and putting up the tree and wrapping presents to give to friends and family. But Christmas just isn't the same as it used to be. If you grew up in a family like mine, you'll relate to a lot of these things the youngest kid misses about Christmas.

1. Putting up the tree

Putting up the Christmas tree after Thanksgiving, while almost obligatory, was one of the most fun family activities we had. It involved lots of joking, reminiscing over old ornaments bought when each of us were born, laughing at our own horrible homemade ones, listening to Josh Groban's Christmas album, and singing off key at the top of our lungs. It was an experience that everyone contributed to in some way when we were younger, but since the days of getting married and moving out of the house, there are only a few of us left putting up the tree. It's still fun, but awfully nostalgic.

2. Baking

Is it really Christmas time if you don't bake WAY too many cookies? Baking has always been one of my favorite things about the holidays, because it was such an experience every time. Between cranking up Justin Bieber's Christmas album, getting awesome cookie cutters (because who doesn't love a good Christmas dinosaur cookie?), eating the extra dough out of the bowl, and sharing all the latest news while the cookies were in the oven, baking involved just spending time with the family. It's a good time, but not as enjoyable doing it alone.

3. Watching Christmas movies together

Tell me what you will about rom-coms or the Hallmark channel, but you will never not convince me that Christmas movies are truly the most heartwarming movies around. On Christmas Eve or Christmas Day when the festivities were winding down, one of my favorite traditions was all of us gathering together with some cookies or pie and watching an old classic in the living room (probably It's A Wonderful Life). There was just such a sense of togetherness and family that's slightly diminished with everyone gone.

4. Stuffing stockings

Or really just decorating in general. One of the best things about Christmas is being able to put up the family stockings, shiny lights, and garlands, and have wreaths and mistletoe everywhere. When you're the last one in the house, though, the stocking number goes down to three and let's be honest, it's only fun decorating if you have someone there to decorate with you.

5. Christmas music jam-outs

*See above listed Christmas albums. Singing by yourself is cool and all, but it just makes it so much more enjoyable when you have someone else there to scream out "All I Want For Christmas Is You" with you. And if your siblings are anything like mine, every holiday has to come with a music video featuring really bad dancing. No one wants to dance by themselves (except maybe Drake).

6. Getting ready for Christmas Eve service together

Going to a Christmas Eve service is a must in my family and it always meant dressing to the nines. It was so much fun back in the day to spend time getting ready together and afterward, to take silly pictures with each other. Now, we can still do that but there are no sisters in the bathroom with me beforehand hogging the appliances and teasing me about my love life... yes, believe it or not, I miss it.

7. Dressing up together for pictures

Or even just dressing up in general, man. Holidays are about yummy desserts, spending time with family, and taking some bomb family pictures. One of my favorite things about Christmas in the past was coordinating matching outfits, finding the best lighting, and taking pictures with all of my siblings. I mean selfies are great too, but there's something about getting that perfect, facebook profile pic worthy shot with your sibs that makes it so much better.

8. Christmas shopping

CHRISTMAS SHOPPING, AHHHHHH!!! I'm sorry, I get way too excited about this. Shopping for everyone's presents is not something you just do by yourself. You need opinions, models, constructive comments... shopping is a two-man or many-man job. Without siblings around, shopping just isn't the same.

9. Sibling sleepovers

The night before Christmas just calls for company. I distinctly remember one year all of us camping out in our parent's room for bedtime and waking up to snowfall outside their window. It was absolutely magical and all of us being there for it made it so much more enjoyable. Sibling sleepovers during the holidays was a fantastic way to bond and have fun and I miss it. P.S. If you've never made a fort with your siblings then uhh.... wyd fam?

10. Opening presents

Ah, the piece de resistance of Christmas. What would modern Christmas be without gathering around the tree on Christmas Eve or Christmas morning and going around the room opening presents? It's such a family activity to do and when you're the last one in the house... I mean, more presents for you but less fun for everyone.

Christmas is meant to be shared with people- your friends, your family, your loved ones. To those of us young ones being the last kid in the house, I feel your plight but don't go too crazy by yourself. Find others to spread the warmth of the holiday with. And take the time to enjoy the moments you get to spend with your parents while you can.