Presents, family, snow, lights, smells...? All these are words that come to mind when Christmas is mentioned. While the last one is usually overlooked, smells are very important to enrich the holiday experience. Between dinner cooking in the kitchen, the fire in the living room, and the gingerbread cookies for dessert, all the smells create the perfect backdrop for family fun. In the spirit of the holiday season, I present the 12 Smells of Christmas.

1. Cinnamon

Cinnamon is a cool smell because it can be associated with the fall AND winter. From Pumpkin Spice Lattes to cinnamon rolls on Christmas morning, cinnamon always means something tasty.

2. Peppermint

This scent goes with Christmas just like marshmallows in hot cocoa. Candy canes are a holiday season essential.

3. Freshly Baked Cookies

Cookies are quite the two-for-one deal: a great smell with an even better taste.

4. Evergreen Trees

Any house with a **real** Christmas tree understands, and it makes people with fake trees (like myself) pretty jealous. It's a decoration and an air freshener.

5. Newly Opened Wrapping Paper

My roommate says she likes this smell during the holidays. I don't really understand it, but I'm assuming it has to do with the gratification that comes with wrapping all those presents that you bought for your friends and family.

6. Ham

As someone who hosts Christmas Day every year with my family, the scent of dinner cooking in the kitchen is one of the best parts of celebrating. Whether you actually eat ham or not, everyone has that dish that represents festivity to them.

7. Plastic

Okay, this one may be a stretch, but hear me out. All those presents are either made of plastic or wrapped in it. The tape? Plastic. The trash bags for all the wrapping paper and tape? Also plastic. Do you see where I'm coming from?

8. Candles

Candles are the best Christmas decoration because the flicker of lights creates such a warm atmosphere. The smells are good, too.

9. Firewood

If the candles don't do it for you, the fireplace is like a really big one that smells like a woody winter wonderland.

10. Eggnog

While not the most popular drink, its hard to deny the fact that it smells delicious. Whether you're a fan or not, eggnog is a Christmas staple. I mean, does anyone drink it when it's NOT Christmas? I don't think so.

11. Wine

There's always at least one bottle of wine on the dinner table at all the Christmas celebrations I attend throughout the season. When there's good wine, there usually means there's great food on the way.

12. Gingerbread

And last but most certainly not least -- gingerbread. Probably the MOST popular Christmastime smell. It is so distinct and can draw in even the biggest Grinch in seconds. I would never dare to go a Christmas without it.