Ahh, Christmas Break. It’s truly the most wonderful time of the year… if only for the sake of finals being over. But there are many more things that make the season wonderful. You can’t get seem them off your mind the closer and closer you get to home either…

1. Anything but your final exam grades

The weeks of stress and unhealthy diets and no sleep have finally come to a close. You might have gotten an A in Management 209, or you might have gotten a C in Political Science 207, but you honestly don’t care anymore. It’s time to think about the things that really matter, right?

2. Your Christmas list

The things that really matter are the presents you have not had time to ask for. Now you have hours of driving to keep adding things to your wish list. Will you get them all after your parents find out your exam grades? Probably not. But you’ll keep adding to the list anyways.

3. Your dogs

Even if your parents are upset with you for your grades, you know who will never be upset with you? Your dogs! They are going to freak out when you walk in the door for the first time and every other time until you leave town again.

4. Home-cooked meals

Your ETA is approximately 5:50 pm which means that your mom will be done cooking dinner within the hour and you can eat your first real meal in two weeks… It’s the little things.

5. Christmas movies

You already know when you walk in the door that the Hallmark channel is going to be on the TV playing some cheesy Christmas love story… and you honestly could not be more excited. How many times do you think you’ll watch Elf before Christmas?

6. Sleeping in

It’s okay to sleep till noon if you stayed up watching Christmas movies all night, right? You delete every alarm on your phone and tell your little sister to only wake you if there’s a fire. Gooooodnight.

7. Time with your family

You would not admit it to them, but you are actually so excited to see them. The thought of your mom making your family sit down and watch It’s a Wonderful Life together actually warms your heart.

8. Clean laundry

What is the most hated thing about college kids everywhere? Dirty Laundry. So what is the greatest thing in the world about coming home? Your mom doing your laundry for you.

9. Hometown friends

As soon as you pass the city limit sign, you get on find my friends and your old friends are the familiar 2 miles away from you instead of 200.

10. The desserts your mom bakes

You KNOW it’s the holiday season when your mom is always in the kitchen baking something. Sure, you might gain 5 lbs over the break, but you’re honestly okay with it. This the thought on the way home that makes you question what the odds are you would get pulled over for going 80 in a 70.