If you’re like me, Christmas is your favorite time of year. Your family sets moderation aside and December is one huge celebration. But what you may not have thought of when you left home back in August, is that come December, you’d be missing your family’s brand of holiday spirit. Not that slipping on Colgate’s nefarious black ice and studying for finals isn’t a special way to spend the first part of the Winter’s Solstice, but there are likely some things you’re bummed (or not) about missing this year:

Decking Out Your Entire House

Yes, it may seem like Christmas threw up in your living room, but who cares? ‘Tis the season!

Finding The Perfect Tree

While the selection process usually spurs some sibling arguments about whose conifer choice is better and possibly Mom’s remorse if it doesn’t fit in your living room, it isn’t truly Christmas until you find the ideal tree.

Baking Cookies With Mom

Even though cookie baking threatens gaining another Freshman 15, let’s face it: nothing beats homemade baked goods right out of the oven (especially when you’ve been eating dining hall cookies for three months).

Watching Christmas Movies With Your Siblings

Holiday movie classics get you in a festive mood and you don’t even have to get off the couch.

Bickering Between Family Members

Whether it's your aunts arguing about whose turn it is to make the turkey, your grandmother becoming weepy because your uncles don’t call her enough, or your great-uncle Hal sniping about earbuds being the downfall of polite society, the holidays can be a stressful time. OK, so it’s not such a bummer that you’re missing out on this part.

Helping Younger Siblings Or Cousins Get In Touch With Santa

Surrounded by your peers and professors at school, there isn’t anyone trying to get in touch with the North Pole or telling you about their plans to spy on Santa and his reindeer. At home, you can be the essential link between St. Nick and the little ones.

Tearing Open Christmas Cards The Second The Mailman Delivers Them

For some unknown reason, you find great pleasure in reading about all the awesome things families you barely know did this year. Why fight it?

Candy. So Much Candy

Whether you’re sneaking tomorrow’s chocolate from the advent calendar or swiping a candy cane off the tree, Christmastime means lots of the sweet stuff. Unfortunately, your dorm room probably isn’t as well stocked as your house.

Hosting Your Out-Of-Town Relatives

You love your relatives. But having them stay with you for the two weeks before Christmas can be a bit of a hassle (nobody likes the painful pullout sofa). Maybe being stuck in your dorm for a bit of that time isn’t the worst thing in the world.

Whether you miss all of your holiday traditions or you’re happy to be skipping some of them this year, have a Merry Christmas when you finally go home for the holidays!