Hey everyone, it’s Riley, and welcome back to the blog! I can’t believe it is already Christmas season aka the best season.
I don’t think I’ll ever be able to fully explain how loved and blessed I feel during the holidays. There’s a warmth that comes with being home at Christmas. It’s a feeling I feel the moment December starts and stays long after the season ends.
Being home means Christmas is always happening. There’s usually a movie playing in the background, and often it’s Home Alone. My mom loves the second one, the New York one, and at this point its basically part of our holiday routine. It’s familiar, so comforting, and somehow never EVER gets old. Christmas music is always playing too, filling the house while we cook, clean, laugh, or just sit around doing nothing at all.
One of my favorite parts of the season is seeing all my friends again. Being home means reconnecting with the people I grew up with, catching up, laughing about the same old stories, and picking up right where we left off. Some friendships never change, no matter how much time passes, and December always reminds me how grateful I am for that.
Every year we go see Christmas lights, driving around and pointing out the houses that went all out. It’s simple, but it always makes it feel like Christmas has officially arrived.
Christmas Eve is spent at my grandma’s house, a tradition that brings everyone together and makes the holiday feel complete. Then on Christmas Day, we’re back at my house. We start the morning early, normally me trying to get my brother awake so we can go do gifts. Then a great breakfast, and later my dad cooks Christmas dinner. My grandparents from Reno come down, and having everyone under one roof is what makes the day feel so special.
Some of my favorite traditions are playing card games with our best friends something we’ve been doing since I was little. Another is every year on the 23rd we go with our family best friends on a limo to the city. Life moves fast, but traditions like these slow everything down.
Being home for the holidays reminds me that the best parts of Christmas aren’t the presents or the decorations. It’s the people. It’s the feeling of belonging, the comfort of family and friends, and the love that fills the room without needing to be said out loud.
That warmth is something I carry with me wherever I go and it’s what will always make Christmas feel like home��
Have a merry Christmas and a happy new year!!
Until next year.
-Riley
