My Favorite Things About the Holiday Season

The last couple of years have been difficult for pretty much everybody. However, if there is one thing that can bring some cheer, it is the holiday season. The moment the calendar hits November 1st, everyone puts away their spooky Halloween decorations, and replace them with Christmas trees, lights, and even throw in some Christmas music. People are just happy to do these things because it is finally that magical time of year. The holiday season is supposed to be a happy time for a lot of people, but it isn’t possible for everyone since it also becomes busy and stressful. I will touch upon that in a future post, but if you want some holiday cheer right now, I will gladly share some of my favorite things about the holiday season. I also wanted to do this because recently my brother got into a lot more trouble from his latest incident, and no one is happy especially my dad. Right now, I am trying to take my mind off of it and remember the nostalgic spirit of the holidays.

1. Christmas trees and light displays

If there is anything that can bring light to a dark world, it is the holiday tree and light displays. During the regular months, almost everywhere feels dull, but when the holiday lights come on, it feels happy no matter what else is going on. Sure, there are Halloween decorations too, but they don’t come as close to the shiny and sparkling decorations for the holidays. I mean, some places go all out when it comes to Christmas decorating. Also, there is just something magical when you pass by something that is decked out in colorful lights. The best thing about seeing these displays, there is almost no cost for viewing. All you need to do is go walking around, and I am sure there is a huge Christmas display nearby. In my home state, for the best place to see light displays and over-the-top decorated trees, I strongly recommend the Honolulu City Lights located in City Hall. Now, a place of government is usually not the most exciting place but when decorated for Christmas, you forget that it is City Hall for a moment and instead, a magical holiday wonderland. You don’t even need to step foot on the property, you can just drive by and you be greeted by a giant Christmas tree along with a giant Santa and Mrs. Claus (best to go at night). If you really want the full experience, go inside and see the display of beautifully decorated Christmas trees done by different state departments. I have also seen other light displays outside of the country. When I was studying abroad in Japan, I saw one of its many light displays they call, Illuminations. I have included some photos of the holiday displays in both my home state and in Japan, so feel free to check them out.

Christmas tree from HCL

The Giant Santa and Mrs. Claus

Japan Illumination Display

2. Food

The holiday season is not complete without the abundance of delicious food. Starting in Thanksgiving, I always look forward to eating some of my favorite dishes like sweet potatoes with marshmallows, cranberry sauce, and the pumpkin pie, of course. By the time the holidays come around, there is even more food to enjoy. My favorites are cookies and hot chocolate, but I also love the occasional prime rib. It is also a great way to relieve stress during the holidays such as during work, or studying for final exams in school. I feel like food taste so much better during the holidays because it gives people joy, and a warm feeling in their stomachs. Plus, it brings people together despite their differences. Hopefully, when you go to your upcoming holidays parties, there better be lots of food; otherwise, why would you even go? (Just be sure to wash your hands before touching the food, and hopefully are vaccinated for COVID by now since that is still going around especially during this time of year).

3. Holiday movies and specials

When I was younger, I used to enjoy watching the Christmas specials that come on TV during the holiday season. Even as an adult, I still enjoy watching these specials because they bring a sense of nostalgia and happiness during these difficult times. There is a wide variety of holiday specials for about everyone, not just for kids. If you enjoy classic Christmas specials, there is the old stop-motion films like Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer and Frosty the Snowman. If you are into holiday comedy, then something like the Home Alone franchise is more up your alley (I only recommend watching the first two Home Alone movies. The other films after that are not as memorable). However, if you want something more modern but still brings that holiday nostalgia, I recommend The Guardians of the Galaxy: Holiday Special on Disney+. In fact, a lot of channels go out of their way to program these specials to be played throughout the holiday season such as Freeform’s “25 Days of Christmas.” Streaming services are also making holiday collections which is a compilation of holiday movies and TV shows. If you are feeling depressed and not into the holiday spirit, go watch a holiday special on TV or any streaming service and hopefully it will bring you some cheer. While you’re at it, feel free to enjoy some hot cocoa.

GOTG: Holiday Special

Bonus! Holiday music

You can’t have the holiday season without music. Sure, it can sound annoying if you work at a department store hearing those songs repeatedly. But it is something special when you only hear these songs once a year. It just seems to get people into the holiday spirit, and even some radio stations start their holiday playlist on November 1st all the way until Christmas! Probably because these last few years have been challenging to all of us. What is amazing about hearing Christmas music is that there is a limited number of songs, but they are covered numerous times by multiple artists. Some singers even write original songs to add to the already popular lineup of Christmas songs. My favorite artists to listen to holiday music are, acapella group Pentatonix and Michael Buble. If are busy decorating or wrapping presents for the holidays, feel free to play some Christmas music to get your mood in a good place.

Well, those are some of my favorite things about the holiday season. If the holidays are not working out for you, I recommend trying some of these things. Hopefully after reading this, you feel more optimistic about celebrating this special time of year because it is supposed to be happy for everyone. Aside from doing the usual holiday traditions, I hope you are also taking care of yourself.