The minute I hear Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas is You” on the radio, I am thriving in full Christmas mode.

Everyone is entitled to favor one holiday over another, like Halloween over Thanksgiving, Fourth of July over New Years, etc. But I don’t think anyone who celebrates has ever picked a holiday over Christmas, and for good reason. Although people establish which holiday is better than the other, I think we can all agree when I say that Christmas time is the most joyful time of the year. Sure, we may have cold temperatures outside, icy roads and maybe even bushels of snow that need to be plowed, but despite all of those external influences, spirit and jubilation reign free.

There comes a point in one’s life when they truly do realize that Christmas isn’t all about the presents, which may come as a surprise to some. That point in life has become a reality for me this year. I see beyond the clothes, shoes and makeup, and have thankfully realized that Christmas means way more than any materialistic item.

For starters, Christmas lights are everything. Seeing all the different variations of lights and decorations on each house never ceases to put me in the mood for some holiday spirit. Passing by the “Crazy House” always makes the drive on Lakeshore a little more scenic. You can always tell a house’s personality by the type of decorations they put up.

The range of traditional to recent Christmas movies only make this holiday the most attractive one. It can never be a dull moment when you binge watch all the iconic Christmas movie classics like “A Christmas Story”, “Home Alone”, “The Santa Clause”, “It’s A Wonderful Life”, “Elf” and of course, “How the Grinch Stole Christmas”. Grabbing a cup of hot chocolate while snuggling up by the TV to watch any of those movies only makes my love for Christmas heighten.

On top of movies, music and spirit, Christmas baking has to be the sole reason why it’s taken first place in the holiday category. The smell of the different assortment of cookies always generates such a cozy and sweet feeling, which makes my excitement soar for the holiday season. My family and I love to blast Christmas classics in the kitchen while we pass around the variety of colors in frosting and sprinkles to decorate our freshly baked cookies. There are no better traditions than the ones created over the Christmas holiday.

Even if you happen to be someone who doesn’t list Christmas at the top for holidays, you can’t argue around the fact that the holiday season is one of the most special times of the year. It’s a time for giving back to others, reconnecting with family and building new traditions on top of the old ones. Christmas truly is the most wonderful time of the year.