When it starts to get chilly outside and you begin to hear all the radio stations playing Christmas music, the magic of the holiday season sets in. The smell of everything winter from festive baking to scented pine cones fills the air. Twinkly lights and tinsel decorate the front windows of homes everywhere. Families go outside to have snowball fights and make their first snowman of the season. You can finally snuggle up in big sweaters with a large cup of hot cocoa. The magic of the season surrounds you everywhere you go. This is easily the most wonderful time of the year, no matter what holiday you choose to celebrate.

All students get to take a break from classes and go home to their families. Some people get to travel and see loved ones that they haven't seen in years to spend the holidays together. The break of the holiday season is something to look forward to for everyone. No matter how chaotic the stress of traveling or holiday shopping may get, everyone always seems much warmer and happier during this time of year. During the holiday season, people become more generous and selfless through the wish of making someone's holiday season just as special as their own. This, in my humble opinion, is the real magic of the holiday season.

The excitement that children get waiting for Santa to show up is unmatched by any other thing of joy I've ever seen. The feeling that you get when you carry out your own holiday traditions with your family by your side is so comforting. The people that volunteer to stand out in the cold and ring a bell to raise money for the those who are less fortunate during the season do it with a smile on their face. The kindness shown by strangers, simply by just holding a door open for someone or donating a toy to a child who would not normally get one, is inspiring.

I continue to ask myself, while being in the mindset of Buddy the Elf, why can't we treat everyday like it's Christmas? And if you don't celebrate that holiday, then why can't we treat everyday like it's the holiday season? Yes, it is wonderful that this is the time of year that inspires us to start over and be kind to one another. However, there is no reason that we shouldn't have this mindset all year long. Building each other up and being kind to others is certainly not a hard task. If you love the magic and feeling that the holiday season fills you up with, wouldn't you want to feel like that everyday? With all of this in mind, please remember to cherish the special opportunities and little moments of gratitude that the holiday season allows while you can. The magic of the holiday season can live in you for as long as you allow it to. Smile at a stranger, be generous when you can be and enjoy your loved ones' company. Have a merry, wonderful, amazing holiday season.