1. The Decorations

Lights, trees, tinsel, stockings! The first sign that Christmas is approaching is all of the decorations that start to shoot up after Thanksgiving. Windows are suddenly lit up with trees, and bushes strung with lights, and yards filled with ceramic reindeer leading Santa to our rooftops. These fun decorations get everyone excited for the holiday season!

2. The Music

"Rudolph," "Frosty the Snowman," "Silent Night," and countless other classics. As well as hundreds of different renditions. And if you're lucky, you get serenaded by talented little carolers. These songs fill our hearts with joy and get us into the Christmas spirit faster than you can say "eggnog."

3. The Movies

"The Santa Clause," "Olive the Other Reindeer," "Elf," "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" -- the list never ends! Christmas movies are so much fun to watch with family and friends. It's an instant tradition and the perfect excuse to plop down on the couch for hours.

4. The Vacation Time

Whether it's from work or school or both, everybody needs a break. It's the time of year you should be spending with loved ones, not behind books at the library or a cash register at the store. Christmas is coming, which means vacation is just around the corner!

5. The Treats

All the hot chocolate, eggnog, and gingerbread cookies you can get down! Christmas comes with the best of the best treats. And thankfully it's during the winter, so wear plenty of layers to cover the extra few pounds you might pack on.

6. The Parties

A month of great food and great music, so naturally the month of great parties too. Get out your favorite ugly Christmas sweater, throw on your Santa hat, string some lights around your neck, and hop on over to your friends' Christmas parties! Guaranteed to be a good time.

7. The Presents

Of course Christmas isn't all about presents, but you have to admit, giving and receiving presents is a shared joy of the world. So splurge on that fine china for Grandma, and toolbox for Dad -- the smiles on their faces will be worth every penny.

8. The Gingerbread Houses

You dye eggs on Easter and build gingerbread houses on Christmas. You can get serious and landscape with frosting and green licorice or it can be a free-for-all where you just throw M&M's and gumdrops on the roof. Either way, a fun tradition to do with family and friends.

9. The Holiday Cheer

For some reason, everybody's automatically their best selves this time of year. You can feel the holiday cheer in the air and your heart. So pep up if you're not already happy, nobody has an excuse to not partake in the cheerfulness that is Christmas.

10. The Time With Family and Friends

The very best part of the Christmas season is by far all of the time we get to spend with our loved ones. We all may be busy with work and school and life in general the majority of the year, but come Christmas, there's time to be well spent with family and friends.