It’s the most wonderful time of the year! Christmas is just around the corner and people everywhere anxiously await its arrival, dreaming of the moment when all is merry and bright. However, I have yet to reach that corner. As we quickly approach the holiday season, I feel like something is missing.

As a child, Christmas was the Christmas of all holidays. The weather was cold and the hot chocolate was- well- hot. The Christmas tree stood tall, adorned with every homemade ornament, candy cane, and tinsel strand (that would somehow wind up everywhere except for the tree). As the presents swiftly pile up, patiently waiting for Christmas seemed like an impossible task. With Santa watching, however, most children were quick to resist the urge.

As a senior in high school, however, every holiday now tends to serve as a temporary distraction from the chains of reality; it’s exceedingly difficult to enjoy the festivities when the future has a tight grip. If you’re like me, these past few months have been filled to the brim with college applications, deadlines, homework, and stress beyond one’s wildest dreams. To top it off, any act of leisure feels unobtainable when an impending agenda outweighs any hope of relaxation. Students tend to spend their December longing for Christmas break: 3 weeks of ABC Family movies, home cooked meals, and free time away from school and all pressing obligations. To their dismay, the much needed, highly anticipated vacation is practically gone by the time it begins.

Nevertheless, as Christmas slowly makes its way, I’ve tried to keep my spirits up and fill the void with naps, baking, and online shopping… a LOT of online shopping. I aim to forget about the essays, finals, and semester tests in hopes that I can bring myself a little closer to the holiday season. But does it even feel like Christmas?

In Oklahoma, seasons change like trends. I have yet to truly experience “Christmas weather” this year and no winter holiday feels complete in 77 degree heat. While it is getting colder by the day, the temperature tends to fluctuate, leaving your average holiday junkie frustrated, and on occasion, very cold. The chances of a white Christmas in Oklahoma this holiday season are increasingly slim… but a girl can dream, right?

In the end, Christmas will only feel like Christmas when it is actually here. It’s a waiting game, and while I’ve looked at the predicament from a “glass half-empty” perspective, the whole point of Christmas is to rejoice in what you have, not what you’re going to get.

It doesn’t have to be about snow, schedules, or stress. It’s about family, friends, and all things in between. It’s about showing you care and celebrating the wonderful things in life.

Maybe I’m the only one who hasn’t been feeling so “holly jolly” this December. Even though Christmas doesn’t feel like it used to, it’s still my favorite holiday and I know that sentimental feeling will return.