By the time you read this article, it is entirely possible that Thanksgiving is in less than two weeks and that is just woohoo. So, we have finals coming up, and while finals mean the end of the term, which then leads us onto our luxurious six-week break, it also means studying, making notecards and writing papers, which is no fun. The days are pretty gloomy, filled with sitting in dimly lit rooms and writing until our hands cramp up, our eyes bugging out from staring at the computer screen for too long and studying so much that you are convinced you are an expert in the most mundane things.
Aside from this, after finals, we are set free to wander off campus. Whether that is going home or staying near, the school year of 2021 will have come to an end. We can put the fall term behind us and look to the fun holidays ahead of us. The day Thanksgiving is over, it is already Christmas-time in my book. And while I do have to wait a little while, luckily for me, Hanukkah is even closer and I get to look forward to opening eight very thoughtful, but at times quite peculiar, gifts from my grandmother, AKA The Hanukkah Fairy. So, with this festive season around the corner, here are a couple of my holiday essentials.
Starting with a movie, perhaps my favorite of all time is Love Actually. Yes, yes, I know half of the world’s population does not like this movie or even consider it a decent Christmas movie compared to the greats that are A Wonderful Life, The Elf or The Grinch, but I am on the other side, the correct side, and I believe it is the best Christmas movie. I’m pretty sure that I watch this movie about four times a year. I know there are a bunch of holiday movies out there but to me, this one sums up all that we love about Christmas in two hours and nine minutes. Love Actually is about the lives of nine people who are in one way or another connected, all through the emotion that is “love.” It is a light, funny and extremely heartwarming tale, and if you have watched it already, I suggest you watch it again. And if you have no clue what I am referring to, please search for Love Actually to change your life forever.
Next up is holiday music. A little backstory is that I love Christmas music or holiday music in general. I believe that the only music that should be on in the car for the entire month of December is holiday music. It must be blasting through the house as my brother and I begrudgingly hang ornaments on the tree. Even if it is the sixth night of Hanukkah and he and I are playing Dreidel with our cats while eating gold foil-wrapped chocolate gelt, I demand that holiday music is on. There are so many types and varieties of holiday music. While my favorite Christmas song is the iconic “All I Want for Christmas is You” by Mariah Carey, I am a sucker for the classic, iconic holiday music. I’m talking Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby and Gene Autrey. Songs such as “White Christmas,” “Let it Snow!” and “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” are essential classics for the holiday time and perfect to play at your cliche holiday party.
So, folks, remember to watch Love Actually, eat lots of Christmas cookies, listen to some good tunes, build a snowman if you can, spend time with your loved ones and have a very happy holidays. See you in 2022!