The holiday season is a great reminder to appreciate everything you have and just how lucky you are. With everything that is going on in the world today, I am very thankful that I get to spend the holidays surrounded by my family and friends. There are so many things to be thankful for, not just during the holiday season, but throughout the entire year.

I'm thankful for family. As cliché as it sounds, the holidays just wouldn't be the same without family. To me, that's the best part about the holidays. With such a big family, it's the one time of year that the entire family is together. I love watching my little cousins get so excited to open gifts and watch my grandparents' faces light up because all of their grandchildren are together. Family is what makes the holiday season such a terrific time of year. Thanksgiving dinner, putting the Christmas tree up, or opening gifts on Christmas morning just wouldn't be the same if it was spent without my family. I hope that I never have to experience the holidays without my family.

I'm thankful for friends. Friends are another great part of the holiday season. Everyone is done with finals and home from college just in time for the holidays. Every year my friends and I have a Christmas party with secret Santa, holiday games, a huge feast and crafts. No matter how old we get I look forward to it every year. Black Friday shopping after Thanksgiving is 10x more fun with friends. A city trip to see the tree at Rockefeller Center is another fun holiday trip with friends. The holiday season wouldn't be the same without friends. It makes me thankful that I have such great friends to make memories with during this time of year.

I'm thankful for the millions of men and women who risk their lives to protect this country. They are the reason that we get to share peaceful holidays with our friends and family. Many of them aren't able to spend the holidays with their families, but they make it possible for us to be safe during the holiday season. I'm thankful for all of their families who sacrifice their holiday time with their loved ones so they can do an amazing job and protect us. Happy holidays to all of the soldiers and their families.

The holiday season reminds me how lucky I am that I always have such amazing holidays and such great people to spend them with. Although I try and be appreciative of how great I have it all year, during the holiday season I always realize just how much I have to be thankful for.