The month of December is magical. There’s snow on the ground, lights on the houses, and music drifting from nearly every house. Gift wrap is sold out, and the line for Santa Claus is a mile long. Christmas carolers stop by businesses to spread Christmas cheer. The smell of pine trees and homemade cookies fill the air, and everyone seems happier. What is it about Christmas that makes December so light and, well, Christmas-y?

Perhaps it’s the decorating. Not just putting up lights or blow-ups along the outside of your house, but decorating the inside too. Setting the special plate and mug for Santa’s cookies and milk in just the right spot. Placing little snowmen along counters and on shelves. Setting up the ceramic nativity scene or Christmas village in the window or on a table.

Maybe it’s the tree. Whether you go out and cut one down, or bring up a fake one from the basement, decorating the Christmas tree is a long time tradition for most families. You blast the Christmas music, break out the homemade Christmas ornaments from when you were a child, and string popcorn and cranberries to wrap around the tree. The final product makes your house feel like it’s truly ready for Christmas.

Don’t forget the baking! Decorating sugar cookies is a must, but what else does your family do? Making homemade fudge and hard rock candy is always a fun activity with grandma, and now with Pinterest there are all sorts of new, fun ideas. Maybe you can make a rice krispie Christmas tree, complete with M&M’s for ornaments. Of course, you can’t forget the reindeer chow!

Who can possibly celebrate Christmas without Christmas songs, both old and new? “Winter Wonderland,” “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” “Frosty the Snowman,” “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch,” and so many more classics are sung for fun in the street. Now, more modern songs are taking over the radio: Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas Is You,” Taylor Swift’s cover of “Last Christmas,” and Carrie Underwood’s rendition of “Do You Hear What I Hear?” are often heard. If you don’t decorate your Christmas tree without belting out a Christmas carol, then you’re not having nearly enough fun.

Remember how you missed A Charlie Brown Christmas last year? Well, no worries, it’ll be on soon enough! ABC Family plays Christmas movies every day, and you’re bound to find more on other channels. A Christmas Story, Emmet Otter’s Jugband Christmas, Home Alone, Elf, and White Christmas are all wonderful Christmas movies to watch. Of course, you can’t forget How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, and all of those other classic movies you watched as a kid.

A large part of Christmas is presents. Kids tell their wishes to Santa Claus by writing letters or sitting on his lap, and parents memorize the lists before going out and getting as many sales as they can. But there is so much more to presents than just receiving. The feeling you get when you give someone a gift they like is so wonderful. Choosing gifts and wrapping them in pretty paper with a name tag is so much fun, and the best part is that you showed someone you cared enough to pick something out that you thought they would enjoy. Now, that’s the Christmas spirit.

And of course, what is Christmas without parties? White elephant parties and ugly sweater parties are becoming a trend, but the best party is on Christmas day when you go to your aunt’s house and see all of the gifts your cousins got. Everyone sits down to eat ham and mashed potatoes and dessert. Everyone is content and happy, and that is the best part of Christmas.

This year, don’t forget what Christmas is truly all about. All of these activities have one thing in common: you can do them as a family. So, remember to spread Christmas cheer (by singing loud for all to hear) and to have fun and enjoy the company of your family. Merry Christmas!