A Perfect Christmas

Time really does fly fast; last Christmas seems like only a few months ago. Still, it’s already the most wonderful time of the year! A time when people all across the world can momentarily abandon their worries and hardships for the joy of the holiday spirit. Nobody can deny that they’ve looked at the calendar and thought, “Only 3 months until Christmas!” Some people look forward to hanging out with friends, others for a long vacation, but everybody anticipates this once-a-year event, nonetheless.

Glenn Lee (11) described how one of his favorite aspects of Christmas is the lavish desserts that come along with the holiday. “Gingerbread cookies, cupcakes, brownies, hot chocolate,” he said. “I could list them forever”. So, when Glenn imagined a perfect Christmas, he not only saw Seoul completely blanketed in snow, a jolly evening with friends and family, and merry music playing, but of course, also an endless entrée of his favorite Christmas foods and desserts.

On the other hand, Grace An (11) said Christmas is special to her for a completely different reason. While she does love Christmas themed desserts, including peppermint brownies and snowball cookies, setting up and decorating the Christmas tree with her family is very meaningful to her. ”The act of preparing for the celebration together allows me to be reminded of the importance of family and togetherness,” Grace said. But at the same time, she enjoys ending the day with some alone time. By listening to her favorite music and going rooftopping, Grace’s perfect Christmas also consists of spending time for herself.

Finally, Audrey Bae (10) has always looked forward to the Christmas holidays because it’s “widely celebrated across the world with joy and happiness” and because it is a chance to meet her friends and family that she normally wouldn’t be able to see. But when she was younger, her excitement around Christmas was a lot simpler: wondering what Santa would give her this year always made her stay up on Christmas Eve. Although she isn’t sure “if she’ll get a present from Santa this year”, what she is sure of is the opportunity the holiday will provide for her to connect with her family. “My perfect Christmas is taking a break from the busy reality to spend time with my family,” Audrey said.

While it’s always fun to imagine a perfect Christmas, don’t let the word “perfect” mislead you. There is no set definition of a perfect Christmas. It is really up to you to decide if you want to make the holiday the best it can be. And whether that be by eating your favorite foods, spending time with your family, or taking a break for yourself, if you really try, a merry Christmas is completely attainable. The only thing that matters is that you’re having a jolly time.