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The Small Things to Look Forward to this Holiday Season

The opinions expressed in this article are the writer’s own and do not reflect the views of Her Campus.
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Queen's U chapter.

The winter season is almost upon us, and this is my favourite season of the year for so many different reasons. Here are just some of the small things that make this season so special in my eyes.

You gotta admit, there’s something incredibly powerful about the air during the winter season; it’s almost as if you can feel the air filled with love and endless opportunities.

Perhaps this inspiring energy in the air comes from all the wonderful events that come with the winter season, such as Christmas and New Years. For both holidays, we get the opportunity to reconnect and spend time with our loved ones, and for New Years specifically, we get to begin a new chapter in our lives…

It may very well be the uncertainty of what’s to come that brings that specific exciting and ambiguous energy into the air.

And for those who do not celebrate Christmas or New Years, the holiday season regardless is a great time to bond and cuddle up with your loved ones under a blanket and sip on a warm drink, all while enjoying some movies or board games while light snow falls outside your window.

The winter air is charming, isn’t it?

For some, the winter season is the time to go tree shopping!

I personally always found this to be one of the most heartwarming experiences to look forward to during the winter season. I love the smell of pine trees, and picking out the perfect tree with my family for our home was always a blast.

Of course, following up with the whole “tree-picking” experience, decorating that hand-picked Christmas tree was equally as fun to do with family and friends.

I will forever cherish all the years I spent decorating the tree with my parents and grandparents. A personal favourite memory of mine is tree decorating during the 2020 holiday season with my best friend (props to you, Claire, if you’re reading this).

We enjoyed ourselves to the absolute max, simply while decorating a tree. We listened to some classic Christmas songs, jazz, and even vintage songs, all while dancing and singing our hearts out.

What better way to embrace the winter season than watching some holiday films?

Some movies that I stick to every single year (which I also watch on loop all holiday season) are How the Grinch Stole Christmas, A Christmas Story, A Christmas Carol, The Polar Express, and Home Alone.

Then again, how could you miss the classics? From Frosty the Snowman to Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer to A Charlie Brown Christmas, these are just some of my absolute favourite movies which really let me embrace that heartwarming feeling that comes with the winter season.

Along with winter and holiday-themed movies, holiday songs are always something I look forward to during the winter season.

Mariah Carey, Michael Bublé, Bing Crosby, Andy Williams and Kelly Clarkson are just some of the artists which we most frequently hear every winter season, with their upbeat and touching holiday carols.

Talking about carols, while I have heard all the classic holiday carols, I am yet to experience carolers out and about during the wintertime. I’d love to one day experience a live caroling event!

The winter season is definitely, hands down, the season made for enjoying hearty, warm and filling meals while snowstorms rage outside.

It’s always a pleasure to munch on candy canes and homemade cookies during the wintertime. Just like Thanksgiving, I usually indulge in a large feast during the winter season—usually on Christmas Eve. There’s something so specific about the “Christmas meal” which I’ve always loved so much.

On top of that, there’s something very particular about enjoying a hot chocolate, coffee or maybe a holiday-themed drink inside the comfort of your home or favourite cafĂ© while watching the snow fall right in front of you.

If you can’t tell by now, I have a thing for staying inside and enjoying the snow… from afar.

girls feeding reindeer
Original photo by Lauren Zweerink

The winter season will never not be my favourite season.

I love seeing Christmas decorations on all corners, eating generous and delicious meals, the weather, the drinks, the movies and the songs.

But among all of these wonderful things, it’s absolutely incomparable to spending time with family during the holiday season.

Growing up, my family always made the Christmas season so magical. Ultimately, while I enjoyed the pleasures of gifts, movies and food, it was never solely those things that made this time of year so special for me, but rather the privilege of spending unlimited time with those I love.

I feel that people often feel the “magic” of the Christmas season due to the new sights, sounds, smells, and atmosphere. Apart from all the wonderful material experiences that come with the winter season, I would like to leave you with a little quote from the Grinch, which I’m sure you’ve heard million times by now:

Maybe Christmas, he thought, doesn’t come from a store. maybe Christmas, perhaps, means a little more.

Emma Keyes

Queen's U '24

Emma is studying English Language and Literature at Queen's University. She enjoys the arts, and is a sucker for all things romantic.