Ah, Christmas. The most magical time of the year.

Usually. For many of us, the struggle of finishing finals and finding our way home has just ended. The stress of travel and daunting tests loom in the background as we crawl our way into the glow of Christmas lights.

As a college student I must say that the wonderful Christmas feeling has changed since I was younger. I don't mean that I see it differently than six year old me; I see it differently from even 16 year old me. I believe that this shift may have taken place as a result of being a working college student, which may be a unique experience, especially among those who attend school away from their family homes.

Luckily, the happy cozy feeling has never gone away. I think that for me, the experience of this season has simply changed. During my first year of college I was working at a small drug store where I worked Christmas Eve and spent my holidays being berated by customers who didn't feel that they were getting the best deals possible. I brooded over the consumerist mindset which seemed to have swallowed the happiness and kindness from so many. Last year, I worked on Christmas Day as well and the "magic" of Christmas never really set in the way it used to.The morning was spent in a groggy, stress-filled fog as I ran around at work thinking about all the things I would rather be doing up early on Christmas morning. That evening after my mom got off work as well, we opened gifts and had a snowstorm. It ended up being lovely. But something had definitely changed in me.

While both years I ended up having a pretty fantastic Christmas experience despite the bumps in the road, I noticed that I stopped feeling very excited before the big day. I am one of the weird people who really likes making and buying presents for my friends and family. So that has always been pretty fun, despite the financial stress it adds. But I realized that Christmas isn't all about perfect timing or everything going right. It's not all about big family breakfasts and hot chocolate in the morning. I realized that even when nothing seems to be going right, as long as you can share it with the people who matter to you it can be magical in its own way.

I cannot say how many college students share my feelings, and I do admittedly feel a bit excited about seeing what others got me as well. But the best thing about Christmas for me is seeing the people I love happy, and being able to contribute to that. I vastly prefer giving over receiving. What's more, the most important thing to be is just being able to spend time with my family, my boyfriend, his family, my friends, and seeing us all happy. It is certainly not the most common experience, especially now that I don't live at home. Even when I did, complete joy was very rare. So when we can achieve that level of joy, I truly think that it brings the magic to the day. The day does not bring the magic to us.

The point of this small Christmas rant is that I have finally realized that the people you spend time with over the holidays make the time special. The holiday season does not do that on its own. This realization has changed my perspective of this time period, potentially for the better.

Another thing my eyes have been opened to recently is the true hardship that some families face this time of year. Those who have lost a loved one will not feel that complete sense of happiness. They may feel devoid of it entirely. This is why we should all be respectful of others. You never know what they may be going through. Maybe it is their first Christmas without a spouse, a mother, a father, a sibling, or even a child. Let us all just learn to spread love this season. Put down the anger, hostility, judgment, just for a moment. Everyone needs love and understanding, especially when this time brings more troubles and hardship than happiness.

I hope that wherever you are right now, the room is filled with the scent of pine trees or freshly-baked cookies (or both). No matter the scent or ambiance, I hope you can spend this time with people you love and feel true happiness. You deserve it.