It's easy to get lost in the unimaginable amount of Christmas music and Thanksgiving decorations that will be thrown your way. How could you not love the sweet scent of holiday candles that you catch as you walk past the Bath and Body Works on Black Friday? Nothing gets me in the spirit like the thought of 25 Days of Christmas, or the latest Christmas Comedies that line the theaters. But aren't we missing something amid the layer of artificial snow and chocolate Advent calendars?

As much as I love the holiday spirit, sometimes there seems to be a certain pressure about having the perfect holiday season. Whether it is about throwing the best office Christmas party, buying your boyfriend the perfect gift, or simply figuring out how to make a pumpkin pie for the Thanksgiving table; people are getting caught up in the idea of the holidays. In the end, if you couldn't afford to buy everyone you know the perfect gift, there's no need to fear. The beauty of the holiday season is that regardless of the franchises shoving holiday happiness down your throat, it is truly about you and the people you spend your time with; not to mention the deep religious roots that are both relevant and important to any holiday.

As much as we would all love to live out Christmas with the Kranks, it's not realistic, and that's okay! This holiday season, try not to get too caught up in the mayhem. Before you know it, the holidays will be here and gone and we'll have no use for all the snow around us. Don't loose the passion that makes the holidays more enjoyable. Keep your traditions alive, whether it be the annual game of Life that everyone plays after dinner, or making a wish on the wish bone, don't loose sight of the true meaning behind any celebration.

The media hypes up the holidays to be nothing but spectacular. A better idea of it probably falls close to some overly dry turkey Aunt Carol made and watching the Thanksgiving Day Parade. The holidays do not have to be some monumental event each year. Kick back, enjoy the day off, and enjoy the company of the people around you; they're what really matters.