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It’s that time of year: festive season. As we shift into the last few weeks of 2025, the excitement and chaos surrounding the holidays are ramping up. It is easy to get lost in the school work, family events, and social gatherings during these last few weeks, but taking a moment to be present in this time is special and a great way to stay excited. An excellent way to do this is through little celebrations along the way to transition you all the way into the new year.
Thanksgiving into december
Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday, and for me, it functions as the “kick off” event for the holidays. There are a few traditions that I love that help me celebrate Thanksgiving and carry that energy through to the rest of the holidays. To start, on the day of Thanksgiving, I love getting involved with cooking at least one dish. As it gets chillier and darker outside, taking time to make a meal or bake a treat is a great way to get cozy and feel a little more put together. Taking the time to explore cooking with family or friends over Thanksgiving helps to open the door to future fun via cooking and baking throughout the holidays. Those cookies don’t know what’s coming…. Another tradition that I love from Thanksgiving is a Turkey Trot. While I am a runner, any sort of turkey movement (run/walk/bike/etc) will work for this. I love this tradition and think it applies to the holiday season because it shows the joy and importance of still taking care of yourself, and for me, getting outside, during this time. While it is getting dark in the afternoons, even just a few minutes of fresh air and moving my body always makes me feel better, especially when there are so many other things going on. Making sure to take care of yourself as the end of the year ramps up is critical to being able to sustain yourself for the marathon of the holidays, because remember: these weeks are a marathon, not a sprint.
December Holidays into New Year’s
As the wrapping paper and family dinners fade away, the New Year’s pressures can start to roll in. While resolutions can be a very helpful way to assess your values and goals for the upcoming year, they can also sometimes feel suffocating as you leave a time of indulgence and slowing down and are suddenly expected to head into a daily life of perfect habits. Instead, use this time to reflect on what went well and what you want to change for the next year, before making a realistic plan and goals for a few things you want for the next year. This does not mean that you should embody an entirely new lifestyle with a bunch of drastic changes, but instead, pick three to five specific things that you want to have at the front of your mind going forward into next year. Maybe that is picking a new study space and committing to being there for half an hour each day of finals week, journaling one line each night, or stretching for 15 minutes a day. Whatever it is, finding a few simple changes that you can make can give you an edge on the new year while not overwhelming yourself by January 3rd.
All of this being said, there are a few little ways that you can make this time of the year extra special without adding too much else onto your plate:
Use your senses to your advantage
Change up your candles! Lighting a candle (or melting via a candle warmer if needed in a dorm room) is an excellent way to make your space feel a little more homelike and bring on the holiday spirit. Switch out that pumpkin spice or apple cider scent for scents like pine or vanilla to really get into the holiday spirit.
Switch your skincare products: try out some festive lotions, lip balms, or extra hydration. It’s important to take care of your skin during this time, especially as the cold and dryness of winter picks up, so you might as well make it fun. A few of my favorites include:
- Eos Cozy and Sweet Lip Balm Pack
- eos Peppermint Cashmere Body Lotion
- Native Sugar Cookie Lotion
- Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Cream
Get some Holiday Snacks!
Make your study game better with some snacks that bring on the holiday nostalgia. Finish off the pumpkin bread, and instead bring out anything peppermint, hot chocolate, cookies, and seasonal coffee drinks. Better yet, get yourself through the last grind period of the season by going to a coffee shop, getting a seasonal drink (peppermint mocha, anyone?), and getting some work done.
- Peppermint Brookie | Trader Joe’s
- Sugar Glazed Lebkuchen Cookies | Trader Joe’s
- TINE® Ski Queen Creamy Caramel Cheese | Trader Joe’s
- Maple Pecan Cold Brew Coffee Concentrate | Trader Joe’s
- Lesser Evil Holiday Sweet and Salty Organic Popcorn
Media
Use fun movies, shows, and music to soundtrack this season and bring the vibes up.
- Make a winter playlist! This doesn’t just have to include Christmas carols (in fact, challenge yourself to go beyond). Find songs that feel “wintery” to you and add them on. This will also function as a great motivation to get your winter movement in or get some work done. I love bands like the Lumineers, Phoebe Bridgers, or Taylor Swift’s Folklore for this time of year.
- Shows: Gilmore Girls is a classic fall into winter option, but I also love the Gossip Girl Thanksgiving episode from Season 3. This holiday season, I am also looking forward to Nobody Wants This season 2.
- Movies: I love a cozy movie night with holiday movies, but also sometimes need a break from the classic holiday season flicks. For my holiday movie moments, I can never go wrong with Elf, The Holiday, and Trading Places. That being said, my non-holiday movies are also critical to break this up. I love Knives Out or Harry Potter for cozy yet not quite holiday energy.
Overall, the holidays are a great time to take advantage of the little things and romanticize small comforts. Transitioning into this season can feel chaotic, but try to lean into the chaos and enjoy some of these ideas in order to be as grounded and celebratory as possible.