Immediately after packing all the leftover Thanksgiving food away into plastic containers, we began to feel that Christmas spirit. Christmas trees were decorated, holiday lights were displayed, and “Jingle Bells” played throughout grocery stores and shopping malls. It’s truly the most wonderful time of year!

There seems to just be a cheerful glow impacting everyone and everything. People are happier as this holiday rolls around. There’s just something about seeing neighborhoods lit up with Christmas lights as you drive down the street or snow covering the tree branches. Yes, the Christmas ambiance is amazing, but what’s this holiday really about? The month of December has the ability to bring people together, people that may not speak to each other the rest of the year. People travel hours and hours to see family and friends during Christmas, and being together only brings great joy, which is needed to celebrate such a holiday.

A main component of Christmas is receiving gifts, but more importantly Christmas offers us the gift of giving! Being able to give loved ones a nice present is such an incredible feeling. This can be seen as a token of appreciation or just a sign of love. There are a lot of charity organizations that work to provide the less-fortunate with Christmas presents by collecting donations from thousands of people. Organizations such as “Toys for Tots” or “Operation Christmas Child” help send gifts to children who might not be able to celebrate the holidays in such a way due to financial instability. Having the opportunity to donate gifts and make the holidays special for someone else is truly wonderful, and that is what Christmas is all about.