There are so many things that make the holiday season a magical time of year. For some, it’s the music and food, for others it the lights and presents, for many it’s the cold weather and family reunions. I personally love everything about the holidays. This year I’ve compiled of list of things that I am particularly enjoying or looking forward to.
- Christmas Movies
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Although my family and I watch them year-round, Christmas movies are one of my favorite things about this time of year. I have a few that I look forward to watching every year such as the 2007 “Holiday in Handcuffs”, the 2000 “A Diva’s Christmas Carol”, the 2000 “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” and the 1994 “The Santa Claus”. These movies from my childhood are great to bring about that nostalgic Christmas feeling. More recently I have enjoyed some of the Netflix originals such as “Let It Snow”, “The Princess Switch”, and the Netflix original series “ Dash &Lily”. These modern classics showcase the love and joy that the holiday season can offer. Then there are the famous Hallmark Christmas movies, which are too many to name but are always comforting to watch.
- Books to Read
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I enjoy reading, mostly YA fiction, whenever I can. During the holidays I tend to resort back to old childhood favorites because of that familiar nostalgic feeling. One of my favorites to read is “A Katie Kazoo Christmas”. This fun story is filled with magic, friends, family, and a Christmas light spectacular. “Ramona and Beezus” and “E.T”, the novel, are also favorites of mine and both happen to be great movies as well. This year I am looking forward to reading something new, “Dash & Lily’s Book of Dares”, the book which inspired the Netflix original series.
- Music
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Christmas music is arguably my favorite part about Christmas. No one can deny the magnificence that is Mariah Carey’s voice in “All I Want for Christmas”, and although it makes its way onto my Christmas playlist every year, it is not my favorite. In third place would have to be “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas” by Jordan Smith, and runner up would be Paul McCartney’s “Wonderful Christmastime”. My favorite Christmas song would have to be the melancholic “Last Christmas” by Wham. I also really enjoy the Taylor Swift rendition of the song. Everything about this song makes it feel like it is officially Christmas for me. This season I will also be listening to Taylor Swift’s latest album “Folklore”, and Shawn Mendes’ newest album “Wonder,” arriving December 6.
- Food
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There is nothing like holiday food, whether you prefer pumpkin, pecan, or apple pie, there is always something for everyone. Along with the traditional turkey and stuffing, my family also enjoys some traditional Hispanic dishes during the holiday season. One food we usually make is Hallacas, a Venezuelan dish that consists of corn dough stuffed with a multitude of ingredients such as chicken, olives, raisins, etc. My favorite food during the holidays is dessert, more specifically peppermint brownies. Then there are the classic holiday drinks such as Egg Nog and Hot Chocolate. My family usually spends our Christmas day drinking Egg Nog smoothies and watching some classic Christmas movies.