Christmas is a time reserved for joy, happiness, love, and family. Coming home for the holidays is something not everyone has the luxury of, so for the fortunate ones who do get to come home, appreciate every minute of it.
Hug a little tighter, talk a little longer, and love a lot harder. Reconnect with old friends, spend time with your cousins, bond with your siblings, and thank your parents for everything they do. Family is everything and always will be.
It's not about where you go for the holiday or the presents you get. As long as you are surrounded with the people who love you, then you already have the best gifts that life can offer.
Don't forget the real meaning of Christmas. Corporate America has tarnished and mutilated the meaning of Christmas, so it may be easy to forget about the true meaning. Presents are nice, but at the end of the day they are just material, and will never have your back the way family does. No gift in the world can show someone how much you mean to them, no matter how nice it is.
So, this Christmas, don't lose sight of what's important. Don't get wrapped up in the twisted version of what it has become today, remember why we really celebrate it. Spend time with the people you love, eat big dinners and talk about life. Laugh about old memories, and create new ones.
Enjoy the time you have with the people you love, because one day they may not be there to celebrate with you.