The Holidays

This week (and maybe for the next few weeks) I will be taking a break from film reviews. Since it's December (already!), will write about the holidays and, as cheesy as it sounds, what it means to me. This week, I will write about Christmas traditions.

I love the holiday season because it is just such a happy time. You always get that warm feeling inside when you see snow falling outside your window, when you see twinkling lights around the neighborhood, wreaths on people's doors, and candles in windows.

On a more personal note, Christmas is very important to my family. For my family, the holidays start the first week of Advent. We kick off the holiday season by putting up our Christmas tree. This has been a tradition since I was three and the tree we have now is actually the one we got when I was three. We usually put up our tree the Saturday after Thanksgiving, a week before Advent (We have an artificial tree). Many say it's too early, but if you think about it, the so-called "official" holiday season is only about four weeks out of the fifty-two weeks of the year. An additional week wouldn't hurt. Anyways, my dad and I usually turn on some Christmas music while my mom's in the kitchen, cooking up something nice. My dad puts up the tree while I sort out the ornaments, stockings, and other miscelaneous decorations that we own. After my dad's done with the tree, I put up the ornaments and after we put everything on the tree, we put a little porcelain nativity scene underneath the tree.

It could be said that my family has a lot of Christmas traditions; however, it has evolved throughout the years. Starting from the time I was four, I would help my uncle put up the huge tree at my grandparents' house. Then, when the day of Christmas Eve came, we would have lunch at my grandparents' with all my aunts and uncles on my mother's side. I was one of two grandchildren on my mother's side at that time. In the afternoon, we'd get into our fancy Christmas clothes and go to Church. When we returned home, we'd first take a family photo next to the tree. Then, we'd have dinner and my grandmother would bring out the two yule logs for dessert. We'd gather around the tree and open presents. I remember always being so hyped up when Christmas came around. Now, things are a little different. Instead of going to my grandparents', one of my aunts hosts. Instead of having one cousin to share Christmas with, I have seven. My favorite part, I remember, was the secret santa game that our family did. Unfortunately, we had to stop once there were too many babies. I remember being just pure happy, running around, screaming with excitement when it was time to open the gifts. Everyone else would be just as loud and excited. By the time all the gifts were all opened, the floor would be covered with wrapping paper, which we then cleaned up together, and we'd wait for Christmas Day.

When Christmas comes around, I always reminesce about this time. I don't know why. Maybe it's because the holiday season is a time where you look back through the years, take in all the good, forget about the bad, and just be thankful and feel happy. Wow, that sounds cheesier than intended, but it's the truth! So this is this week's blog post: a reflection on the start of the holiday season! Hope you all are getting into the holiday spirit as well!

Here's two clips from A Charlie Brown Christmas. The first is of Charlie Brown attempting to find out the true meaning of Christmas. The second is of Linus explaining "the true meaning of Christmas." Enjoy!