Ah, the holiday season. Sleigh bells, sugar plums, festively themed beverages from every coffee shop for miles around– it really is the most wonderful time of the year. Now, do not get me wrong, I hate the fact that Christmas decorations disgrace the aisles of every store in mid October just as much as the next person, and goodness knows that hearing the same 12 songs on the radio for the entire winter is not my idea of a good time. However, I do love the holiday season and all of the good cheer that comes with it.

    Obviously gift giving, trees, and all that nonsense is not going to be everyone’s cup of eggnog, and that is completely fine. Everyone likes different things. However, there is one objectively positive thing that the holiday season does manage to do nearly every year: bring people together. Whether it is a family gathering, work party, or simply hanging out with friends, most people spend the holidays with someone. In this way, all of the silly traditions and gift giving is just a disguise for the simple human need to connect and express love for each other.

    The holiday season also inspires the best in people throughout the country. Countless charities, such as Toys-for-Tots, experience a surge of popularity during that time, which helps these organizations distribute aid to those most in need of it. Though many people tend to think about Christmas as a shallow, consumerist holiday, donations like these show quite the opposite. After all, Christmas is traditionally a season of giving.

    Additionally, for many people as well as for myself, this time of year has spawned countless treasured family traditions. In my family, baking cookies and visiting my grandmother on Christmas is something we do every year, and it is always something I always look forward to. Without the holidays, I might not have had these countless treasured memories.

    Whether it is the feeling of togetherness, the beautiful memories that are created, or even just the classic traditions of trees and stockings associated with it, the holiday season has so much to celebrate. If one opens their eyes to all of the goodness behind the Christmas lights and glitter, it can truly be the happiest of holidays.