December is approaching and with it comes the magic of the holidays, snow, a packed calendar and finals for those of you at school. It's easy to lose the excitement of the holidays in the end of semester hustle and bustle, so here are thirty one ways to maintain the holiday spirit and get excited for a wonderful holiday season. It only comes around once a year, so we have to take advantage of it while we can.

1. Start an advent calendar! Bonus points for one with chocolates inside!

2. Turn on a radio station playing Christmas music- now that it's December we're allowed to listen exclusively to Christmas music for twenty five days (or try one of these playlists).

3. Check the Freeform twenty five days of Christmas movies- tune in for Elf, Rudolph, the Santa Clause and more.

4. Put Christmas lights up on your house or in your dorm room (as long as fire code allows it!).

5. Give to a charity such as Salvation Army or a group in your town that gives gifts to children in need. This is a true way to carry out the holiday spirit.

6. Pull out your holiday sweaters or head out to buy one. The uglier, the better.

10. Buy and decorate your Christmas tree! Make a Christmas list like you did as a kid.

11. Cuddle up with someone you care about (even if it's a stuffed animal).

12. Start studying for finals. Getting ahead of the game will help prevent an overly crazy and overwhelming finals week.

13. Wear all red and green for a day.

14. Call your family members and tell them you love them, remembering the spirit of the holidays.

15. Take a break from school or holiday craziness and just relax. Color, read or take a nap. Self care is important in this busy time and giving yourself a moment to breathe is extremely powerful.

16. Go ice skating with a friend or significant other. Laugh together about how bad you are and hold hands to keep each other from falling (or to make sure you fall together if you do).

17. Read a Christmas book! Go back to childhood with the Polar Express (guaranteed to make you bawl in the best way) or The Night Before Christmas or pick up a young adult or adult book such as Dash & Lily's Book of Dares or Let It Snow.

18. Drive around town admiring fancy lights displays and rating the best ones with your family or friends.

19. Watch A Charlie Brown Christmas as a reminder of the true spirit and beauty of Christmas.

20. Find a Christmas carol gathering and go sing Christmas carols.

21. Build a snowman in honor of the winter solstice.

22. Go last minute Christmas shopping and wrap your presents.

23. Bake Christmas cookies. I like this recipe.

24. Light a menorah, eat some latkes and spin a dreidel to celebrate the first night of Hanukkah.

If you celebrate Christmas, spend time with family and attend a midnight church service to remember the true spirit of the holiday. Leave a note and cookies for Santa by the fireplace (and carrots for the reindeer of course).

25. Spend time with family, enjoying their presence, give thoughtful gifts and relish the magic of the holiday. And tune in to the twenty four hours of A Christmas Story on TV.

(Buddy is me on Christmas morning TBH)

26. Start cleaning up wrapping paper and enjoy a relaxing day with your new goodies. Bonus points if you stay in your pajamas all day.

27. Get all bundled up and go sledding. Sledding is guaranteed to bring back the joy of childhood- you will laugh and fall and want to keep sledding until you're too tired to walk back up the hill.

28. Start writing thank you notes to the people in your life to express your gratitude towards them.

29. Make a big mug of hot chocolate and stir it with a candy cane from Christmas. Go to Starbucks and play around with the holiday drinks to make the season last. I recommend a peppermint white mocha or a chai latte with gingerbread syrup. Here are eighteen more ideas to try before the holiday drinks disappear.

30. Think about resolutions for the new year, and write yourself a letter with advice for the coming year.

31. Dress up in something sparkly, find someone to kiss and watch the ball drop.

Happy December everyone! I hope you take advantage of the joys of the holiday season, and I am wishing you all my best.