When I was younger, I was truly so obsessed with the material items that Christmas entailed. I'm just being honest! A huge part of the "Christmas magic" was knowing that about half of the gifts under the tree were just for me. For over a month before the actual holiday, I would send my mom links to all the many things that I thought I needed, and I would wake up on Christmas morning with the expectation that I was getting spoiled that day. I didn't really see it as a bad thing, but it was just ingrained in my mind since childhood that Christmas was a time of receiving. However, in recent months, I've had a big change of heart.

Even though I'm a broke college student now, material objects are starting to mean less and less to me. Since I left home just a few short months ago, the important things in life are starting to stand out more and more- family, friendship, love, and most importantly, giving. While a few years ago I would've been thinking of all the cool stuff I'd be getting for Christmas about this time, now I am celebrating "Friendsmas" with the best people on earth, and I have never been more excited about giving than I am now. As I came home for holidays this year, all I cared about was seeing my parents and finally getting some quality time with my niece. I can feel my "holiday spirit" changing forms- while it used to be excitement for the material presents of Christmas, now it is the ones that you can't wrap up and put under a tree, and these are the gifts that truly matter.

During this holiday season, I am finding so much more joy in the people I love than I am in objects, and I never want to go back to the way it used to be. So what do I really want for Christmas this year? I want to be able to spread love and happiness to all the important people in my life, and be able to look back on the million amazing memories I had with them in the last year, and be able to make a million more. I'm so glad that I've finally learned that there is so much more joy in laughter and hugs than there is in unwrapping a gift.