It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year- Ryan McEllen

    I believe Andy Williams sang it best in his song, "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year" released in 1963. The holiday season is just upon us as Thanksgiving has ended and it is nearly December. It is the season of peace, love, and joy, and personally it is my favorite time of year for many reasons. As the temperature drops, and the advent calendar begins, the holiday season brings a warm and positive feeling to all. 

    For as long as I can remember, my family has been the biggest fans of Christmas out there. We love everything from the songs and snow, to the family and friends, and to the feeling of waking up early on December 25th. There's just nothing gloomy about the season. Its the season of traditions, and wholesome traditions are what you look forward too all year round.

    One of my favorite things about the holiday season is the music. The music consisting of all of the songs that you hear hundreds of times, but never seem to get old. And my family doesn't wait to turn on the holiday station. Most years, the day after Halloween is when the Christmas music starts to play. Although many people have argued with us saying that its too early to listen to holiday music, that has never stopped us from singing loud and blasting the music up until Christmas.

    After about a month from when we first turn on the Christmas music, the decorations are brought down from the attic. Not only do we hear the sounds of Christmas, but we begin to see the signs of Christmas as well. One day each year, my entire family gets together to decorate the tree. We turn on our favorite classic holiday movies, pour hot chocolate, and go through all of our ornaments, recalling the memory of each one and when we got it. Our ornaments are all different and there is never a clean organized theme or layout to our tree, but we always make it special by filling it up with memories. 

    Now that the house is decorated, the music is playing, and we have reached December, I hope for snow to fall and stick to the ground. My two favorite seasons are summer and winter, but I especially love winter for the holiday season, and for snowboarding. In mid-late December, when the temperature has been consistently low, Mountain Creek begins to blow snow and opens its trails for the winter. Me and a good amount of my friends take advantage of our season passes and go up to the mountain every weekend and most days during the week. The feeling of riding down the snow next to friends, and learning new tricks while filming it on a camera is like nothing else. It is by far one of my favorite activities and I wait in anticipation all year for the time to come when I can get on a ski lift. 

    And then finally, after two months of listening to Christmas music, and about a month of having decorations flood the neighborhood, Christmas Eve arrives. On Christmas Eve, my entire family gets together at my aunt and uncle's house, and we celebrate with dinner together. On the way home after the meal, we drive around different streets, admiring the lights put up in the front of each house. And lastly, to end the night, my family does a secret Santa where we get one other member of the family something meaningful. But then the night is over, and we wake up on Christmas morning. I can't remember anyone ever being upset or feeling down on Christmas day. It is just a day where the house is filled with joy and a positive morale. My grandparents, cousins, aunts, uncles, and my family all get together to celebrate the day. Music is played and smiles fill the house. In my opinion, there is no better time than this.

    Even in 2020, the year filled with horrible events and major life changes, the holiday season will still consist of happiness and peace. There were good moments within the unique year, despite what some may believe, and therefore there can still be festive and cheerful moments in its last month. Everybody should look on the bright side and be thankful rather than wishing for the clock to strike 12:00 of New Years Eve and for 2020 to be officially over. No matter what holiday people celebrate, for the most part the month of December is an exciting time for all. I am going to try to savor and enjoy the holiday season as it is truly the most wonderful time of the year.