Christmas time is no doubt the best time of the year. After Thanksgiving and Black Friday, people from around the world start putting up Christmas trees and ornaments, stringing lights around the house, and hanging stockings above the fireplace. Although this is one of the most exciting parts of the holiday season, being home with my family and friends is my favorite part of December.

Being in college, November and December, the months that should be some of the best of the year can be the most stressful. The workload in these months piles on, ultimately leading to final exams around two weeks before everyone's favorite holiday. This can cause extreme stress for college students and lead to less excitement for Christmas time. Cramming for exams and spending hours on homework assignments can take away from getting ready for the holidays.

Once final exams end, it's time to relax and spend some quality time with loved ones. Although this can usually involve a long car ride or plane ride after the teen years, there's no better feeling than reuniting with family after a long time apart.

Personally for me, being with my family on Christmas is my favorite tradition of them all. Every Christmas, my family and I drive over to my grandparents' house for a night of food, presents, and endless amounts of pictures and memories. Spending quality time with people you haven't seen in months can make for a fun night while you share what has been going on in your life for the last couple of months. Along with making memories every year with my family, buying and receiving presents is another one of the best reasons to go home for the holidays. There's nothing better than seeing a loved one open a present, with their eyes lighting up, after receiving a present that they had been hoping to buy but had never gotten to it for months.

Baking cookies while blasting Christmas music with friends and family brings one of the best feelings during this season. Having a home-cooked meal baked by parents is also one of the best presents a college student can receive at home.

Catching up with friends is another reason why going home for the holidays is so great. Watching movies, going out for dinner, and sharing life updates from the past few months are always such a fun way to spend time with old friends.

When Christmas is over, it's time to get ready to ring in the new year. Being home during this time gives us time to relax, and set new goals for the new year ahead. When it's time to go back to school, it's always so great to feel refreshed and ready to take on the new semester and year after spending a great holiday at home with loved ones. There's nothing else I'd trade for the world than spending time at home for the holidays.