When you’re little, Christmas is the most exciting time of year. You get presents, you get to eat lots of cookies, and watch the best Christmas movies. Every year we have always gotten a real tree. I always hated having to go out and find one in the cold, but I appreciate this tradition much more now. We always had a huge tree that took up a lot of space in our house, but it was so beautiful when it was decorated. Snow was always one of the best things about winter. Snow days were always the most fun, going to play in it, going sledding, and building snowmen. When I was little we would stay up the night before Christmas watching the Santa Tracker, to see when he would be here. I would get up as early as my parents let me Christmas morning to wake everybody up. It was always such an exciting time for everyone.

As you get older, Christmas is always a weird time. The illusion of Christmas is much different when you are younger. You get time off of school and you get to see your family, but it just isn’t as exciting. We all go home for break and see all of the people from high school we haven’t talked to in a while, and this can be exciting, but also very stressful finding the time to fit it all in. Snow used to be exciting, but it has now just become an inconvenience and something we all dread. All of the holiday things that used to put us in the Christmas spirit are still around, but we are too worried about the papers we have to write, and the exams we need to study for. With the end of the semester so close, you have very little time for Christmas cheer.

I do have a few ways I think I can do this! This year my goal is to make myself get in the Christmas spirit, and try to do this even in the stress of college. I want to spend as much time with my friends and family as possible. I want to wear as many ugly Christmas sweaters I can find. I want to watch Christmas movies, especially the cheesy Hallmark ones, as much as possible. I want to decorate my house, even though it isn’t completely my home, this will make me feel more at home. I want to listen to more Christmas music. I want this year to be different. I want to feel like a little kid again when I wake up on Christmas morning.

Go get in the holiday spirit. Go out there and put on your favorite holiday sweater and sing Christmas music as

loud as possible. Take the time after finals to be with your family and friends and enjoy the company you don’t get while you’re away for school. Go run around in the snow! Watch your favorite Christmas movie and watch it until you’re sick of it. Go buy the smallest, cutest tree you can find and decorate it however you want. I promise it is possible to be in the Christmas spirit even when you haven’t felt like it for years.