Everyone knows that one friend who started singing Christmas songs just after Halloween, who went to Starbucks on November 10^th because that was the release of the new red cups, and has been itching to decorate since the weather got below 80 degrees. That friend is me. Hi, my name is Sierra and I am a Christmas addict.

I have no shame in admitting that Thanksgiving (up until this year) has never really been my thing. I have never cared for turkey and mashed potatoes more than the taste of cinnamon and peppermint. Thanksgiving, for me, is a filler holiday to prepare us for the upcoming winter holidays. As a result, I and my fellow Christmas addicts are often met with that infamous side eyed glare. There are many people who call us childish, who do not appreciate the overly enthusiastic happiness, and overall criticize us. Everyone being entitled to their opinion and my excessive Christmas cheer keeping me from allowing these criticisms and haters to get me down, I do not mind this; I just want to set the record straight.

I have had Christmas lights up in my room and have been burning holiday candles since two Christmas’s ago to fill in the void.

Not fairy lights. Christmas lights. Whenever I am missing the colder weather and the season of giving, I turn on the lights, light up a Christmas candle (the Bath and Body works ones never finish!), and if the a/c is on, I will make a cup of hot chocolate.

I started watching Christmas movies in September.

Once they came out on cable around October on occasion, I would scavenge to find out when they were. Before Halloween, I saw that Elf was on television and dropped everything to sit on the floor and watch the rest of it.

Peppermint Hot Chocolate is a year-round commodity, not just a winter necessity.

Since I was a child, this has always been the way that it was. I wish that eggnog was a year-round item in stores as well, but I guess I can’t have my candy canes and eat them too. I pride myself on being a tea drinker, coffee lover, and hot chocolate enthusiast all in one. I have to have all three of them at my disposal for my ever changing tastes.

I casually drop Christmas movie references in conversation throughout the year.

I have called someone out for sitting on a throne of lies with no remorse and son of a nutcracker is a frequent of mine. This is just one of the little ways that I keep myself from facing the Christmas blues.

I have thought of becoming an interior decorator because there are so many different ways that I want to decorate a house for Christmas.

Wine, blue, and silver. Red and Green. White and gold. Multicolored. Silver with a single colored accent. Rose Golds. Classical. Modern. Eclectic. There are far too many color combinations and styles to decorate with and I want to use them all. Pinterest is a holiday decorators biggest frienemy – there’s so many ideas and choices that are drool worthy, but you can only pick one!

I am always happy - or I try to be.

There is so much to be happy about during this season of giving. It is easy to find something to smile about and keep your day positive. From a cute red cup picture or your favorite Christmas song coming on the radio on your way to work. There is a reason that they say "Happy Holidays" and "Merry Christmas."

I get very emotional during the holidays.

Christmas movies have a 50/50 chance of making me cry, either from the movie scores (because The Polar Express score always gets me) or the very principle of believing in the spirit of Christmas.There is something about this time of the year that sucker-punches me in the feels. whenever I see someone giving in the spirit of Christmas, or I see people truly believing in what the whole season is about: a celebration of life of one of the most influential people in the planet's history and a time in which we try to be the best example of humans that we possibly can be. I am always happy tearing up, not sad teary, because of how beautiful of a holiday it is!

I don’t care what I get for Christmas. I want to give.

I try really hard to give in every way that I can during this season, because I know that this time can be hard on some. The holidays aren’t for everyone, I know that. That is why I try really really hard to give that extra smile or donate some spare change to the Salvation Army Santas everywhere. A single act of kindness can go a thousand extra miles during the holiday season, and Christmas Cheer goes a very very long way. Pay for the person behind you in line for Starbucks, hold the door open for someone, engage someone in conversation about anything. Every little thing that we shoulddoing during any other season of the year has a bit more meaning during the holidays. I am a bit more spirited during the Christmas holidays than some because I know that there are some people who need that spirit. Tis the Season of Giving, and if my excitement and enthusiasm for this beautiful time of the year can make someone feel better or encourage them to do a little something extra for someone, then I believe that it is all worth it.