Christmas is one of my favourite times of year. The second I hear those sleigh bells playing in the distance, I’m busting out my jingle bell bracelets and my Santa hat. But I know that it’s not the same for everyone, and that the season doesn’t always bring joy. So I wanted to share a few of the reasons that Christmas means so much to me, and I hope that someone who doesn’t like it yet will find something to love about Christmas, too.
The Music
Who doesn’t love music? You can dance to it, sing to it, and harass your sister with her least favourite song every morning. But Christmas music always seems to have a special kind of charm that makes me smile. So many songs are happy, about family and love and how exciting it is that it’s snowing.
And, what Christmas wouldn’t be complete without the classic, Michael Buble’s Christmas?
The Christmas Specials
Listen, I know they all have similar plots, and they’re all a little dumb, and they always seem to have the No Name brand of more famous celebrities cast in the lead roles. But they have heart, and more Christmas lights than I think even Michaels knows what to do with. And they’re fun, and cute, and yeah, a little dumb. But I don’t need (or want) an intellectual film around Christmas. I want something sweet and silly and maybe a little awkward (everyone remembers The Christmas Prince, don’t they?). And that’s what these movies are. They’re not movies for the Oscars: they’re movies for me and my sisters and my mom to watch together once I’m finally released from exams. And isn’t that one of the great things about Christmas? Getting to hang out with the people you care about and watch silly movies while you do it.
Presents
All right, call me a little materialistic, but I love presents. I love buying them, I love wrapping them, I love watching people open them, I love the excited faces people get when they get another package to unwrap. I love trying to find that perfect gift, unrolling the giant roll of wrapping paper I stole from my mom, and covering all the poorly taped edges with metallic bows.
And yeah, I like getting presents, too. I love opening them, and the suspense of trying to figure out what’s inside the box?
The Decorations
The decorations for Christmas are always so bright, so sparkly, even a little gaudy sometimes. But they’re so much fun. I love seeing how intense people get, stringing up yards of lights around their houses, the giant nativity scenes that could rival the ones you find in churches, the sparkles. I love the waist-high singing Tigger my family has had since I was a baby, the one that twirls and sings Christmas songs when you come in.
And I love decorating for Christmas. Yanking out all that sparkly garland? Covering our Christmas tree with a fun hodge-podge of angels and reindeer and Santas and bells and that one ornament in the shape of a bassoon? That’s my jam. And getting to do that with people I care about? Helping my little sister pick out the perfect spot for all her handmade paper ornaments? That’s real magic; that’s the kind of happiness I live for every year.
The Smells
Everything always smells so warm and sweet around Christmas. Stores smell like pine and cookies and all the other holiday-scented candles they’ve busted out. My home smells like bread and gingerbread and every fun Christmas dessert you can think of. It all smells warm and cozy and happy, and it always brings a smile to my face, even just thinking about it.
Advent Calendars
The countdown to Christmas is almost as fun as Christmas itself, especially when you bring advent calendars into the mix. A chocolate every day until Christmas? Or maybe it’s something else, like a wine advent calendar, or a tea advent calendar, or something else that’s just as delightful. (My mom fills her own for my sister. It’s got chocolate and toys hidden in it!) They’re fun! They’re full of surprises! So what if the chocolate is cheap sometimes? They make the countdown as exciting as Christmas itself!
Christmas-themed Everything
Hats? Scarves? Accessories? Once December rolls around (usually before, though—thanks, capitalism), everything has a snowman or an elf or a Santa, and it’s delightful. I love seeing all the Christmas things in the stores, the seasonal beverages and treats, the annual Christmas episodes on TV. The whole thing. Again, it’s something that’s fun, and it’s something that reminds me that this is supposed to be a happy time of year.
The Food
I feel like Christmas is an excellent excuse for everyone to bake. Suddenly, you’re being invited over to your cousin’s or your mom’s or someone else’s, and there’s cookies and cake and an entire turkey that you most definitely can take leftovers from. And everything always has such wonderful, warm spices, or it’s sweet treats or gingerbread houses covered in icing and candies. And it always seems to be delicious.
Seeing People You Haven’t Seen in Ages
Moving away for school means that you don’t always get to see or talk to your old friends. But Christmas is always a wonderful excuse to see them again. I have a lot of friends and family that I miss back in St. Catharines, and I text them sometimes, but nothing beats getting to see and hug and talk to them in person.
Spending Time with People You Love
I know seeing relatives can be stressful for a lot of people, but I always think that Christmas is supposed to be the time of year when you see your family. Not necessarily the ones related by blood, but the people you love. The ones who matter the most to you. Because Christmas—to me, anyways—is about love, and it’s about being with the people you love, whether they’re related by blood or not, and that makes it a very special time for me.
’Tis the Season for Giving
Capitalism be damned. I know the commodification of holidays has gone pretty far, but Christmas is about giving. It’s about helping each other, about love and miracles. It’s when we’re supposed to look at what’s beautiful and shining in the world, like love and happiness, and share that with other people.
And whether all you’re giving is a smile or a hug, or wishing someone a good day, that’s what makes Christmas special. Not the presents wrapped in their perfect bows (although that never hurts), but being willing to give, and being willing to share whatever you can with others. And that’s probably one of my favourite things about the season.