photo credit: Daniela Tiberi
Christmas is one of the most festive times of the year. With Christmas lights dazzling from every corner and holiday music blasting from the radios it is hard to not give in to the Christmas spirit.
Christmas is celebrated by over two billion people across more than 160 countries, according to Bureau Works. While Christmas is a big holiday, those who celebrate it have individual festivities that are specific to them.
“Christmas for my family starts on Christmas Eve. We go to my grandparents’ house with all of my cousins, we go to church and then have a big meal and open gifts,” sophomore Laney Miller said.
Preparing for Christmas day, while being fun, is a long task. People typically start around a month before Christmas by putting up and decorating the Christmas tree, which is one of the most popular and oldest Christmas traditions according to Minted.
“My family always drives around and looks at Christmas lights on Christmas Eve,” Intervention Specialist Linda Dulin said.
Christmas time has a lot of spirit, from the Classic Christmas movies to the festive music, the holiday overall holds a lot of joy. Christmas is shown to increase positive feelings, goodwill, joy and generosity, according to The Conversation. Some movies to watch to bring up holiday vibes are Elf, Home Alone or Hallmark Christmas movies in general. Songs that will get you in the Christmas mindset are All I want for Christmas is You by Mariah Carey, Jingle Bell Rock by Bobby Helms and It’s Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas by Micheal Bublé.
“My favorite part of Christmas is getting to spend time with my family, the season, the spirit and the gifts,” Miller said.
Gift giving is very impactful. Giving others presents, whether homemade or extravagant, showcases affection and love for that person, leading to growth throughout the relationship with them, according to Brewminate. Some gift ideas are sweatshirts or blankets, for the cold weather season that’s approaching, and electronic products like Apple’s Airpods or headphones.
“My favorite part of Christmas is being with my family. I only see my parents three times a year and this is one of them. I also love the Christmas trees and decorations,” Dulin said.
Family and friends are a big part of Christmas. Holidays bring people closer to loved ones, creating stronger bonds and memories to look back on, according to Nord Anglia Education.
“We prepare for Christmas by getting gifts for each other, doing Christmas activities, decorating our tree, and our house and just enjoying the vibes of Christmas time,” Miller said.
Traditions are impactful on people and how they celebrate the holiday season. If looking to start lasting traditions for Christmas, some ideas are gingerbread house baking, decorating holiday cookies and Christmas tree shopping and then decorating it later.
“After presents, we head upstairs and we open stockings and then our grandparents come over and we just hang out for the day until dinner and then we have a big family dinner,” Miller said. The spirit of Christmas, while important to the holiday, isn’t the only focus of the celebration. Giving back to others who may not be able to have grand holiday celebrations is equally essential to any other Christmas tradition. Gift giving is not only good for those who are receiving, but those giving as it helps grow compassion and selflessness according to The Be Kind People Project.
“We prepare for Christmas by decorating, shopping and we usually help out with a family in need, buying gifts so they have them,” Dulin said.
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