What gets you into the holiday spirit?

The first snow of the year usually does it for me, as well as shopping for my young niece. Especially this year, because she's just around 6 years old in 1st grade and after a kid at her school gave her a handful of Pokémon cards, she now really wants more and thinks Pokémon are cool. It's great that she's getting into something that I know things about and also like so the idea of bringing her joy via Pokémon is really getting me into the spirit this year.

 

Christmas lights, all the classic Christmas specials (but the animated Disney version and the Muppet version of "A Christmas Carol" are my personal favorites), Christmas trees (and decorating said tree), gingerbread, and Christmas music (to a point--I can only tolerate the Chipmunks once, and forget any stupid novelty songs after that one playing. I can also only tolerate so many renditions of "Sleigh Ride")

 

I am a real stick-in-the-mud when it comes to holidays or festivities of any kind. The only holiday I try to actively observe is Easter. All the others I try to ignore whenever possible, to the point where seeing decorations for such actually bothers me.

I'll admit I've seen some very beautiful Christmas decorations, including an indoor Christmas tree three stories high, but all that reminds me of that "the holiday spirit" or "the reason for the season" is just another way of saying "marketing".

 

Usually, just seeing others get all decked out for the holidays is gears me up, too. Back when I lived in the Midwest, snow, Christmas songs on the radio, festive lights strung up on trees, and having to bundle up to go outside was a reminder that the holidays were drawing near. The little nostalgic feeling I'd get when I wake up every day was a bonus. Living in the desert now, though, I rarely ever get excited for Christmas anymore because it just doesn't feel the same to me.

 

All I need is Mariah Carey. Besides that seasonal food and snow also help >_> also lame Christmas parties with school but those won't happen anymore :c

 

Christmas music! Nothing like festive music to make the holidays alive!
It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas~