7. Cookies

Yes yes yes! I love all of the cookies at Christmas time! I may not eat them year-round, but there is just something special about Christmas cookies. It warms your heart and fills you with that joy you have been searching for. I love baking cookies with my loved ones because you not only get to share some amazing memories, but you get to eat some delish recipes! I want them right now and it is a downright shame they are not sitting in front of me as I write this article.

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6. Reindeer Food

If there are people who are reading this that have not made reindeer food, do yourself a favor and make something tomorrow. The magic of Christmas lies inside of us even if we aren't kids anymore, so making reindeer food is one way I can bring some of that magic back. I miss spreading it out on our front lawn and making sure we would have enough for all of Santa's hard-working animals.

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5. Movies

Ah yes, the quintessential cry your eyes out feel-good Christmas movies. It is a tradition every year with my friends to find a night, make yummy food, drink hot chocolate and watch the most rom-commy cheesy Christmas movies. Always involving some city girl finding herself in a small country town or a high rise executive that never learned to love until her. Blah blah blah, they are all the same, just different names and places. I know I make fun, but for me, I love watching these movies and cry along with the main character when their heart is broken.

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4. Christmas Day Food

Now, I don't know how your family celebrates Christmas, but mine celebrates having Thanksgiving 2.0. We have the exact same foods as Thanksgiving, just with different breakfast and pie. I love the food because it reminds me of how good a cook my mom is, but just how food memories take you to another world. I love eating this meal on Christmas, it brings us together despite our differences. It allows us to understand one another through food.

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3. Decorating the Christmas Tree

I love love love decorating the Christmas tree with my family. Probably one of my stronger memories of Christmas, decorating the tree has been a long tradition in my household since I can remember and it doesn't truly feel like the holiday until I can stand back and see a fully decorated tree. I usually come home late, but the tree is still on when I come home most days and I love sitting on my couch and marveling at the beauty that is my tree.

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2. The Lights

Have you ever just gone driving to see Christmas lights? It is common, yet uncommon and a huge contender for my favorite Christmas activity. I love seeing what people to do celebrate and thinking about them taking the time to put lights up. They have to think about placement and what type of lights. They think of their children and families, what they might enjoy seeing. But they also think about me, and the people who come to see their house because it is so amazingly decorated. Obviously, they do not think of me for more than a moment, but for that moment, their thought is on strangers and what they might like to see.

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1. Christmas Day

Not only are there presents but there is family and laughter. There is A Christmas Story playing on repeat all day. There is my aunt and uncle arguing about what kind of seasoning belongs in cranberry sauce. There is my mom drinking her mimosa in three gulps because she has 5 more casseroles to cook if she wants food on the table before 6. Not to mention the exchanging of gifts, I love giving gifts. I love watching people's faces light up and express their love for the gift. It warms my heart and makes my entire day.

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