While some of us may not like to recall the embarrassing events of our childhood that tend to buried deep in our jam-packed brains, a few special memories are actually quite enjoyable to remember. These lovely memories are the ones surrounding Christmas.

As a child, my family had a few classic Christmas traditions; one of my favorites included cuddling up on the couch with a warm blanket to read “The Night Before Christmas” on, surprise, the night before Christmas. Of course, the stockings had already been hung by the chimney with care, and my sister and I were proudly sporting matching footie pajamas. Following the famous last lines of “Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!”, we scampered up the stairs and crawled into our beds, anxiously anticipating the morning and wondering if this would be the year we finally would catch a glimpse of Ol’ Saint Nick himself.

The fun part about experiencing Christmas as a little kid is that it was filled with magic and endless possibility. My three year old imagination soared to heights that my teenage brain couldn’t possibly reach if it tried. Looking back, I realize that children around the world who celebrate Christmas each experience it in their own unique way, but I think the holiday produces a warm, special, one-of-a-kind feeling for them all .

My Christmas experiences have gradually changed as I have gotten older, but that warm feeling still exists. I do not find myself hiding out behind the couch once my parents have fallen asleep or rising at the crack of dawn to investigate the pile of presents under the tree like I am the next “Hotch” from Criminal Minds. However, simply gathering around the crackling fireplace with my sister and cousins to play board games or just talk and catch up while my grandparents try to get my parents to teach them how to use an iPhone in the next room is enough to produce the same feelings of peacefulness and warmth that I felt when I was little.