Home is where your mom is, and during the holidays, you feel extra grateful to be heading back to town. Your car is all packed and loaded up with presents for your friends and family. There are songs like "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year" and "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" playing on the radio. You're looking forward to baking cookies and drinking endless cups of hot chocolate. But, spending time with mom over the holidays is what truly makes this season so merry and bright.
Don't get me wrong: You love hanging out with your siblings and going to the ice skating rink or a cute coffee shop with them. Together, you always scope out the presents that have already been wrapped and placed underneath the tree, and try and guess what they could be. At the end of the day, though, you're most excited to snuggle up with your mom.
She started so many holiday traditions with you, from picking out the tree at a local farm to taking an entire afternoon to run errands at the mall. As you get older, you feel more and more attached to those moments and memories. Spending time with your mom will always make this season feel merry and bright for these seven reasons. *Cue the happiest of tears.*
Being home for the holidays can be relieving AF for one reason: Your mom cooks the best wintertime meals. That's right — you don't have to worry about making dinner in your apartment, or finding food at the dining hall on campus.
You wake up in the morning, and Mom already has something in the slow-cooker on the counter. She's making homemade soup with her famous recipe, or mashed potatoes and gravy. You look outside the window and snow is coming down and piling up in your driveway. This season isn't just merry and bright — it's like a movie!
You love watching Christmas movies this time of the year, over and over again. You don't care if you've seen Elf and The Holiday a million times by now. If it's on, you're cuddling up on the couch and reciting the lines from your favorite scenes.
Your mom is always eager to join you, which makes turning on the television feel that much merrier. She brings over some popcorn and hot chocolate with marshmallows, and laughs with you when the narwhal says to Buddy the Elf, "Bye Buddy, hope you find your dad." Those moments are just better when they're shared — you know?
This season is what you bake of it — and your mom knows that from the minute the festivities start on Black Friday. She kicks off her shopping, and preps a bunch of tins to put cookies in. Whipping up bowls of batter and decorating gingerbread men is inevitably one of your favorite traditions.
You look forward to the day that you spend in the kitchen with your mom, covered in sugar, flour, and colored frosting. In the background, the holiday episodes of The Great British Bake Off are playing. Honestly, you two should have your own show on Food Network.
Shopping is always better with a buddy, and your mom is the best in the business. She always has a stack of coupons ready to go in her car, and knows how to score the deals. (Especially during this time of the year, her skills come in handy because you're purchasing gifts and trying to save some money.)
Growing up, you'd go to your favorite stores together and grab lunch in the food court. You'd get new outfits for school, and spend hours in the dressing rooms, trying on sweaters and dresses for Christmas Eve.
Now, things are a little different, but one sentiment remains the same: Your mom, you, and the mall are peppermint to be.
You can typically find your mom doing a seasonal craft or DIY project. It's normally something for the house that she found on Pinterest, like a festive wreath or quilt that's perfect for wintertime.
She puts on holiday music in the background, and sings along while she mixes up the ingredients for mulled wine. She follows the instructions for turning a pinecone into a sparkly ornament for the tree, and soon enough, there's glitter everywhere. Now it feels like the holidays, huh?
Being a mom means many things, including: She always knows exactly how much pasta is the proper amount to cook, and how to wrap presents like one of the elves. And over the past couple of years, your mom has passed down those talents to you.
At first, you weren't sure how your mom makes her presents so catalogue-worthy. You tried using the same big bows and paper that's printed with penguins to create a masterpiece. But, your work ended up being a little messy.
Thanks to your mom, though, you're now a pro. Together, you set up a little workshop in your kitchen and fluff tissue paper and tie ribbons just right. (Take a picture of your presents and share it to social media, please!)
Like a snow globe, your mom makes this entire season feel #magical. She makes sure your tinsel is never in a tangle, and that you're always full of sweet stuff (A.K.A. those peanut butter cookies with the chocolate kisses on top.)
Truth is, you could so easily get bogged down by to-do lists and the crowds at the shopping malls. You could relate to the Grinch, getting annoyed by the endless gift exchanges and holiday parties. But, your mom keeps you on your toes and excited for Christmas morning.
She reminds you of your favorite traditions, and sings holiday songs until they're stuck in your head. You can't help but feel thankful for spending the most wonderful time of the year with her. Is it time to do it all again, yet?
