1. Buy your advent calendar!
When it hit Dec. 1 last year and I was trying to make it to the end of my first ever college semester I had a near panic attack. Not because finals week was approaching, because it was the start of advent and I did not have a chocolate calendar to initiate the countdown. Thankfully, my mom was express-shipping my roommate and me one. Phew!
2. Plan your ABC Family binge watching.
Above is the most recent schedule!
3. Begin blasting Christmas music until you and your roommate get written up.
And if you haven't heard this rendition of "Baby, It's Cold Outside" then you don't have true Christmas spirit.
4. Go to a Christmas tree lighting.
If your town doesn't have one, watch New York light up its annual tree on TV, Dec. 2 at 7 p.m.
5. Get started on that shopping list.
Whether you conquered Black Friday or left all your gift-getting for Christmas Eve, you need to make sure you have the perfect list!
6. Make your Christmas list.
Don't forget about your Christmas wishes!
7. Make a list of good things you can do to give back.
But most importantly don't forget the true spirit of the season. Donate to a local Toys for Tots drive or spend a day making holiday meals at your town's soup kitchen! There are endless ways, big and small, to spread kindness.
8. Make a gingerbread house so good Justin Timberlake would approve.
This year try to decorate it with things you will actually eat, not just letting those plastic-like gum balls sit to rot for four weeks straight.
9. Decorate like a Pinterest pro.
This year's semester goal? Crush the Christmas decorating dorm room competition. (Wait, what do you mean that's not really a thing?)
10. Send Christmas cards to the troops!
Check out this site which has lots of ways you can give back to the men and women who give us all so much.
11. Enjoy a true "white Christmas."
Or at least pray for an inch on the ground at some point considering we're on record for the hottest year ever.
12. Christmas caroling!!!
If you have not gone Christmas caroling, you're missing out!!!
I know it's cheesy and walking up to a stranger's door to serenade them can be a strange and embarrassing feeling. But I do it nearly every year with my family and friends and I'm telling you the light in people's eyes when they open the door is priceless. Just sing the simplest thing like "Jingle Bells." Get decked out in some reindeer ears or festive glasses (see below) and you'll never forget how powerful the Christmas spirit can be. Trust me on this one, folks.
13. Abuse the excuse to dress up your pets.
C'mon, who can resist?
14. Watch "It's A Wonderful Life."
And don't fear the black and white picture because there is a color version for all you out there who just can't bear the thought! Keep an eye out for this classic on NBC; it always plays Christmas Eve.
15. Host a reunion screening of "Elf."
Forget "Friendsgiving," a movie night complete with sugar cookies, Santa hats, and everyone's favorite six-foot tall elf is the best way to celebrate you and all your friends being back together. A fraction of the cooking and twice the laughs. It's a no-brainer.
16. Deck out your res hall with as many snowflakes as you possibly can.
Winston Bishop is my spirit animal.
17. Have a cookie-making night!
This was an annual tradition my cousins and I had. Buy two rolls of Pillsbury cookie dough (one sugar, one gingerbread), some frosting and sprinkles, a couple festive cookie cutters and you're good to go! Often times we had more than all our families could handle, so handing them out caroling or having a movie night was a great solution. Who can say no to cookies?
18. Decorate the tree, duh.
You didn't think I was going to forget that did you?
19. And create (or add to) your very own ornament box.
Since I was little, my sisters and I have received new ornaments each year, thanks to my aunt. Now, we have individual boxes to store our large collections, in hopes to use these ornaments on our future family's trees. If you haven't started yours yet, go for it! (And keep it on the down-low so you can call dibs on the best ornaments before your siblings catch drift.)
20. Cruise the night with your fave people, scoping out the best Christmas lights.
There is one house in my town I could sit out in front of every night (if that wasn't considered stalking) and watch the lights twinkling to the music (which they have their own synced radio station for, mind you).
Get your gang together, blast some holiday tunes and try to find the best lights in your town. You could get real creative with a ranking system and awarding prizes.
21. Wrap your gifts like a boss.
You get the point.
22. Don't miss out on the SNL Christmas special.
Because sketches like "Dick In a Box," and "Shweaty Balls" are classics.
23. Glitter up your front lawn so the reindeer know where to land.
Doesn't everybody do that?
24. Make sure everything is perfect for the big night.
Just be sure to be in bed before Santa comes, obviously.
