5 Christmas Traditions That Will Bring Back Nostalgia for College Kids

It is that time of year again. String-light-covered trees are beginning to pop up around campus, Christmas music is being played in grocery stores, advertisements for holiday drink flavors line coffee shop walls, and everyone is breaking out their gloves and scarves to brace the bitter cold. Yes, it is officially December, and now the “Christmas isn’t until after Thanksgiving” skeptics have no argument for the holiday season to begin. But for many college kids, it is hard to feel the Christmas joy that was so easily felt during childhood with final exams looming around the corner. Once those are over and we begin to make the drives back home for the holidays, it will feel strange not being a kid at Christmas anymore. For many, being caught between college and home can feel confusing and even alienating. How can we bring back that sense of nostalgia that coincides with the Christmas season? Well, below are 5 surefire ways to do just that.

1. Listen to a Christmas music playlist

Whether you are loyal to Apple Music or Spotify, there is a holiday playlist for you. Listen to it as you walk to class, study for finals, and make that drive back home.

2. Drink a classic holiday drink

Some favorites include eggnog, hot chocolate, peppermint mochas, and gingerbread flavored lattes. I may be loyal to iced lattes the other eleven months of the year, but for maximum nostalgia, you must drink your holiday flavored drink hot.

3. Drive around and see the lights

As someone who grew up in a small town, this is a tradition my family does every year. Bonus points if you do number 1 and 2 on this list as you drive around your town to see the lights.

4. Watch a classic Christmas movie

This one has tons of options, but for the most nostalgia, you should watch a movie you loved as a kid. Possibilities include A Charlie Brown Christmas, Home Alone, or National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. My dad’s personal favorite is The Little Drummer Boy, so we watch it every year!

5. Decorate Christmas cookies

You know this list would not be complete without the encouragement of desserts! Whether you are stuck in your dorm studying or babysitting your nieces and nephews over Christmas break, making some festive cookies is guaranteed to bring Christmas cheer!

No matter how you celebrate, what you celebrate, who you celebrate with, or where you chose to do it, the month of December should be spent making the most of the Christmas season. Just because you are now an adult in college does not mean that you cannot continue to practice all the nostalgic traditions that made you love the Holiday season so much as a kid.