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The Transition from Thanksgiving to Christmas: 5 Things To Put You In The Christmas Spirit Before Santa Comes to Town

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 U Mass Amherst chapter.

Christmas is the best time, at least in my opinion. But as you get older, sometimes it feels harder to get in the Christmas spirit, especially for college students who are drowning in final work. I am here to remedy that problem so we can all have a Merry Christmas.

Christmas Movies

This is definitely one of the most obvious things to do to get yourself in the Christmas spirit, but it is one that you cannot miss no matter what. There is nothing better than cozying up on the couch or in your bed with your favorite Christmas movie on and basking in the Christmas spirit glory. I always love to put on the classics, like my favorite, the Santa Clause movies. But don’t forget Elf, Polar Express, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Home Alone, and all of the other classic must watches.

baking

Go to the store and grab everything you need: flour, butter, sugar, and anything else your recipes may call for. Get started on making all of your favorite cookies and don’t forget to leave some out for Santa. My favorite thing to do is bake with my mom and my sister with some Christmas music on in the background. Once the smell of those Christmas cookies fills the room, it is almost impossible to not get in the holiday spirit.

shopping

The feeling of people pushing by you for the last TV on sale, the long lines, the heat of bodies surrounding you, faint Christmas music in the back, and running around trying to find the perfect gift for your parents. This might be controversial, but one of my favorite holiday things to do is to go shopping. I love finding the perfect gift for whoever I am shopping for and I do love the overcrowded malls filled with decorations. I always feel like I am in the scene from How The Grinch Stole Christmas where all of the Whos are running around trying to shop for Christmas gifts.

Christmas light hunting

Everyone has their favorite spot to go see holiday lights, mine is back in my hometown in Connecticut. But even your favorite spot could get a little boring when you see it year after year. So my favorite thing to do is start at your favorite spot and then from there take random turns. I play left, right, or straight with whoever I’m with taking turns with the person in the car. While you are playing, make sure to stay aware of your surroundings, you often will find the most beautiful Christmas lights on houses you have never seen. Oh, and I almost forgot, make sure you stop at your favorite coffee place beforehand and get your favorite holiday drink — mine is the salted caramel hot chocolate from Dunkin’.

Christmas ornaments in New York
Elizabeth Tait
Christmas pajamas

Don’t walk, run to your local Target. Grab your significant other, a friend, a family member, or just go by yourself. Target has the CUTEST matching pajama sets. Plus, they’re on sale for just $15 a set right now. Or, if you are on a budget this Christmas season (I mean we are college students, after all) they do have just pajama pants for only $5 right now — I may or may not have gotten the Mickey Mouse Christmas pants.

Christmas is supposed to be fun and something to look forward to, and that should not change as we get older. So go get in the Christmas spirit, we all deserve a little magic this year.

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Jolie Leavitt

U Mass Amherst '25

Jolie is a Senior at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, majoring in Legal Studies with a Business and Women Gender Sexuality Studies minor. Some things she loves is reading, travel, female empowerment, music, and anything Harry Styles or One direction.