The Holidays are approaching, and with them comes a whirlwind of panic and stress. It’s hard to remember in the midst of it all that this time is meant to be enjoyed. Wrapped up in rituals like Black Friday, and purchasing the necessary decorations and gifts to make it shine, misery can sneak into this celebration. Slowing down and remembering the reasons to love this holiday can make your December worth the added strain.

  Dayla Gordon, a sophomore, said, an ideal Christmas is, “just being able to spend it with friends and family.” Christmas is a great time to bond with those around you, and really show your appreciation for time spent with them. Gratitude can be shown in numerous ways, and it varies from person to person. Whether it’s a small gift, or a few encouraging and thankful words, be sure to express your feelings to your loved ones!

  “Probably the best Christmas gift I’ve gotten is my Xbox 360 I got in 2013. I also think the best gift I’ve given is epsom salt, for my mom,” said junior Jimmy Fortner Another junior, Gabe Salas, said the best gift he’s received was a new pair of Vans, and he considers the best he’s given to someone was, “a signed baseball from the Yankees.” Gift-giving is a tradition that we sometimes do out of habit, and not affection. However, our favorite gifts can stay with us forever. As Gordon said, “The best one I have received is a blanket my best friend made for me.”

  However, on the flip side, our least favorite gifts tend to stay in our minds just as well as our favorite ones.

    “I would say the worst gift I was given was an Airsoft gun I got that broke when I got

it out of the package,” said Fortner.

  All Salas replied with was, “Underwear.” Gordon, on the other hand, had a different outtake on the matter.

  “I don’t believe in bad gifts; it’s the thought that counts,” she said.

  Wherever your Christmas happens, and through whatever happens, make sure to experience this year’s holiday with those you hold close to your heart; in the end, that’s what really makes this break worth it.