7. All I Want for Christmas is....

          Sometimes it's the little things that put the biggest smile on your face. Yesterday morning when my roomies and I were driving home from conference at the Marriott Center, my roommate Alexis asks, "Are we allowed to listen to Christmas music yet?" My other roommate Carly answers back saying, "Um yea! it's past November 1st!" Before she even gets this sentence out, Alexis had already changed the music on the radio. Guess which Christmas classic she put on first? Mariah Carey's "All I Want for Christmas is You." Maybe this isn't your traditional Christmas song, but it is a jam. I'm pretty sure every single person in the world has jammed to this upbeat tune at least once in their life. Listening to this song and other Christmas classics puts me in the best mood ever. I even started tearing up in the car while I thought about all my past Christmases, and how I couldn't wait for this upcoming Christmas!

       
          Christmas is my absolute favorite time of the year. I love being with my whole family. I love the food. I love remembering the Savior. I LOVE EVERY SINGLE THING ABOUT CHRISTMAS. Being away from home has made Christmas even ten times more exciting and special. After four months of being away from all my friends and family, I finally get to go home and celebrate such a wonderful, joyful holiday with the people I love. I remember my past Christmases so vividly. Every Christmas was always a great experience, except the one year when I was a junior in high school. My boyfriend broke up with me on Christmas Eve, over the phone (picture below is a lovely candid of this event.) HAHA classic. BUT I didn't even care, because I was out exploring New York City with my cousins! Nothing, especially an irrelevant, teen boy with a bad combover, could ruin my holiday spirit. Obviously, it was still a great Christmas.
   

           One more month till I'm home for the greatest holiday of the year, and I could not be more excited. Hearing Christmas music puts me in the greatest mood ever, whether I'm listening to Michael Buble, Mariah Carey, or the Mormon Tabernacle! I will listen to any and all Christmas music. As my roommates and I belted every note to Mariah Carey's hit, we joked about all the guys we wanted wrapped up in glitter ribbons, waiting under our tree for Christmas. But honestly, all I could think about was just the simple joy of being home for Christmas. I mean yea, it would be nice to have this one guy with the big glasses, chiseled jaw, and gorgeous smile, but NO. I just want it to be December 18th. I want to be boarding my flight home, landing in the Philadelphia airport, and running straight to the open arms of my parents. I want to laugh and surround myself with family I haven't seen in so long. I want to walk through New York City and admire all the bright lights. I want to drink hot chocolate and reread conference talks with my parents. I want to snuggle and give my dog tons of kisses. I want to hang out with friends and reminisce about memories that seem so distant. I want to stroll the cold, empty beaches. I want to be home, and that's the best Christmas gift I could ever ask for.