Without a doubt, Christmas is my favorite holiday. I love spending time with friends and family. I always have a lot of fun picking out presents. I love seeing the world decked out in twinkling lights. No matter how old I am, Christmas feels like magic.

When I was a little girl, I would cry as I went to bed after Christmas Day. I wondered how I could possibly wait 365 more days until the next one. Like most kids, I wished it would last just a little bit longer.

As I’ve gotten older, my reaction is less dramatic. Still, I definitely look forward to the holidays all year. I’ve been reflecting lately on what exactly it is about Christmas that makes me count down the days, hours, and minutes until December 24^th. While we can’t have Christmas every day, I’ve thought of a few ways to keep the magical feelings of Christmas around all year.

1. Send Cards to Friends and Family.

No, I don’t mean an email or a text. It may be going out of style, but I still love getting cards in the mail! Whether you pause a few times a year to send thank you cards, birthday wishes, or just a simple “thinking of you”, you will definitely brighten someone’s day, possibly more than the Facebook photo collage you were planning on posting on their wall.

2. Give Thanks Every Day

You don’t have to wait until Thanksgiving to count your blessings! I like to do this especially when I’m having a bad day. I have a house to live in, three meals a day, and an opportunity to get a wonderful college education. When I remember things like these, suddenly my anxieties about an upcoming test or hurt feeling about a misunderstanding between friends seems very small.

3. Volunteer

I think it is absolutely wonderful that a lot of families choose to sponsor families at Christmas or donate to charities during the holiday season. However, why not think about volunteering year round? Get involved with SpO. Sign up for St. Thomas of Villanova and Martin Luther King Day of Service. Find a local hospital to work at once a week. There are countless opportunities, and from my experience, most organizations are very flexible with your time constraints.

4. Give “Gifts” All Year

Trust me, I’m on a college student’s budget as well! A gift doesn’t have to be a physical object. It can be an offer to babysit for a few hours free of charge. It can be a batch of homemade cookies. Or you can treat your stressed-out friend to his favorite iced latte during finals week. Whatever you do, remember it’s the thought that counts.

5. Don’t forget to say “I love you”

As a society, we are all guilty of saying that we are too busy too often. We get wrapped up in our never-ending to-do lists very easily. It is so important that we don’t forget to tell people in our lives just how much they mean to us. You never know when your last opportunity will come, so please say it as often as you can.