There are many different holidays that get celebrated around the world, and therefore, the opinions on which one is the best may vary greatly. Right off the bat, I turn towards Christmas as the best holiday. It’s a decision that doesn’t take much thought on my end. What can I say? Christmas has always been a family favorite, especially when you consider the plethora of holiday-themed music, movies, cookies, and decorations, not to mention the various traditions each family and culture has.
There are so many good, nostalgic memories I have associated with that time of year. There’s no better feeling than watching the first snowfall on a dark night with a cup of hot cocoa in hand. Baking candy cane cookies with my mom, a long-standing tradition in our house, while dancing along to “The Nutcracker” soundtrack. My favorite thing to do is take my dog on a walk around the neighborhood and stare at the colorful lights people adorn their houses with. I then rate them, extra points if there are candles in the windows.
It doesn’t end there. I, along with many others, absolutely love watching my local “The Nutcracker” ballet performance. When the dancers step on the stage, there’s something about them that makes you think such beauty can’t be real. Even if the story is a familiar one, it still doesn’t inhibit any enjoyment we get from watching it every year.
The music is always the best. The day after Thanksgiving, you can expect to hear Christmas music everywhere, whether you’re just walking down the sidewalk and hear it coming from a store or from someone’s house. They make you want to sing and dance with joy, no matter how hard you may not want to.
As lovely as all that sounds, I understand that Christmas shopping can be a huge hassle. Stores filled with people doing last-minute shopping and lines longer than those at Disney World. That’s not even considering the icy mess the streets are in. But when you really think about it, that’s what makes this holiday season memorable. I look back on those times I spent four or more hours looking for candles with my mom, and I would honestly go back and do it all over again. I think that in hindsight, the good tends to outweigh the bad.
What it ultimately comes down to is that warm feeling you get when the family is finally reunited. I understand you might get that during Thanksgiving, but Christmas break lasts longer, so the feeling runs deeper. Since leaving for college, I’ve been especially looking forward to Christmas this year. I think many other college students would agree. Since being away from home, the thought of watching Christmas movies while sipping on hot cocoa with my family is something not to be taken lightly. Lucky for us, it’s right around the corner.
–Dec. 8, 2025–
