It’s that time of the year again guys. People are putting up decorations, listening to holiday music, and have already made plans in anticipation of one of the best celebrations of the year.

Christmas is right around the corner. It’s a holiday that means different things to many different people. And each family has their own special tradition or way they celebrate Christmas a little differently.

While this is the case, there are three ideals or virtues of Christmas that are universal during the holiday season. These virtues include a sense of cheerfulness, kindness, and creativity.

First, cheerfulness. It's defined as being pleasant or expressing good spirits; just being happy. I can’t think of another holiday where people are more lively than at Christmas. Now while it is true that Christmas can be stressful for many people, for example, folks are traveling trying to get home in time, or trying to find the right gift for a loved one; it is still perhaps the most exuberant of all the holidays.

People are full of energy during this time. Everyone’s pumped up and the excitement is infectious. One person gets excited and it inspires another person and so on.

Having talked about cheerfulness, I now want to focus on another holiday virtue: kindness.

In my own experiences around Christmastime, I tend to see people be kinder towards each other. Whether it’s making donations of clothing or money for charity. Some volunteering their time to serve a meal to someone in need or open up their home to someone for the holiday.

Years ago as a kid, I remember going to the post office with my mom. Every time we went, there was a homeless man standing outside next to the building. I would wait in the car as Mom went inside.I would observe as she never made eye contact with the man. But one year after she came back, she handed me some money and said go give it to the homeless man. When I asked why she simply replied: “Roman it’s Christmastime.”

Having talked about two virtues of Christmas, the last virtue I want to discuss is creativity.

People tend to get really creative during this time of year. Some go all out on the decorations; whether it’s throughout a house, covering a car, or brightening a workplace. Others take the time to make special gifts for their loved ones.

A few weeks ago, I went to a ceramics studio called In Good Glazes and painted pottery for a couple hours among friends. Occasionally, I would look at what someone else was painting and ask them what it was for. The responses varied, but many replied that they were in effect creating something to give to a loved one during the holiday season.

In summation, while Christmas is made up of many factors,the three virtues I’ve listed are a big part of what makes the holiday what it is. Christmas is a time that brings out the cheerfulness, kindness, and creativity in people. Even though it’s still early, I wish you all a Merry Christmas.