As cliché as it may sound, I have grown to love giving gifts to people way more than I love receiving anything. Sometimes I get stuck and can't think of the perfect gift, but more often than not I get a surge of creativity and end up giving something that I know they will love. Gifts involving inside jokes and memories are my favorite, but what's even better is gifting something like an activity that you can either do with that person or let them experience on their own with their close friends and family. To me, experiences are always worth so much more than material things (which is why I love to travel so much).
Spending the holidays at home in New Jersey has always been a sort of love-hate relationship. I really do love my small hometown where I grew up, but as you get older and move onto bigger and better things, coming back home feels a lot like digging up past high school drama. At the same time, it feels so unbelievably cosy and calming to come home and be with my parents (and I guess my brothers too), and not have to worry about studying or stressing.
This year I really got into the holiday spirit, even though I felt like Christmas snuck up on us and I had no time to prepare. From cookie baking to helping my mom cook Christmas and Christmas Eve dinner, it was nice to be around loved ones and eating way more calories than I needed to.
Overall I had an awesome holiday and couldn't have asked for anything more. I hope everyone was able to give and receive as much as possible this year, and I hope everyone had a great holiday, no matter where you were or who you were with. I certainly enjoy every minute of being home and dressing festively while spending time with family and friends. (See my holiday recap below!)
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