Mariah Carey is defrosting. I’ve already started listening to Christmas jazz, and my current Books and Beans order is a peppermint mocha. This can only mean one thing: it’s Christmas time. Consider my sleigh bells jingled. 

When I first arrived in Anderson as a freshman, I found it difficult to get into the Christmas spirit. It’s tough to embrace your inner holly jolly with finals breathing down your back, and the Christmas magic just doesn’t always feel the same in a dorm room. There’s hardly room for a six foot fir in Royce, and my roommates didn’t like it when I sprinkled reindeer food on the rug. What’s a trojan to do? 

Luckily, in my four years here, I think I’ve finally found my rhythm. Here are my four tried-and-true tips for students seeking to infuse their days with a little Christmas cheer. 

1.Engage your five senses. 

We begin our very merry journey with mindfulness. In the rush of exam season, it’s all too easy to lose sight of all the good already around us. We can practice remaining present in every moment by engaging our five senses and paying careful attention to the way we feel.  

Want to engage with the sense of touch? Try noticing the cool air on your face as you walk to class. Or, for a challenge, visit the ice skating rink in downtown Anderson and notice how it feels to glide across the ice in your skates. Want to engage your taste buds? Order a holiday drink from Books and Beans and savor a sugar-cookie flavored latte. For the sense of sight, drive around at night and look for Christmas lights. For the sense of sound, listen to cozy Christmas jazz or Christmas lofi while you study. For the sense of smell, visit Bath and Body Works to smell the Christmas candles. You could even purchase a plug-in to bring with you back to the dorms! 

No matter how you choose to engage your senses, being intentionally mindful throughout the Christmas season can leave you feeling more relaxed and ready to celebrate. 

2. Bring a friend along.  

At my house growing up, the Christmas season always meant days full of family activities. Relatives traveled from near and far to gather together, and the living room was rarely quiet. The inn was full, indeed. At college, I started to miss that feeling of togetherness. But it doesn’t have to be that way! Here at AU, you are slowly building your own community of friends who are like family. The Christmas season on campus before students return home is a great time to pour into those relationships. Even if quality time only means cramming together in Thrift the night before a final, then it will still be better because you are together. One of my favorite college memories was in December of my freshman year. My best friend and I stayed up all night working on our respective papers, drinking countless cups of hot tea and trading sentences back and forth, asking for each other’s opinions. At the time, the experience seemed tedious at best. Now, looking back on it, it sparkles with Christmas magic. 

3. Invest in your community.  

Anderson University is centrally located in delightful, small-town Anderson, SC: The Electric City. Anderson is our town, and there is no sweeter time than Christmas to give back. Begin investing in our community this Christmas by donating time or money to one of our local nonprofits, many of which are staffed by AU alumni. If you’re passionate about loving our unhoused neighbors, try volunteering with The Lot Project. If you want to help ensure a merry Christmas for Upstate children in foster care, check out Calvary Home for Children. And if you’re interested in keeping the Rocky River area of our community beautiful, look into the Rocky River Conservancy. There are many more worthy nonprofits in the Anderson area, and it is worth finding one that speaks to you. No matter where you invest, the Anderson community will be better for it. 

In addition to supporting local nonprofits, it is fun to support local small businesses with your Christmas shopping! Try shopping at Indigo Artisan Market, Fig’s Cafe and Farmacy, or The Beehive Gatherings and Gifts. If you’re feeling thrifty this holiday season, try shopping secondhand! It’s better for the planet and your wallet. Anderson is home to a variety of excellent secondhand shops, including Fashion Shack, Haven of Rest, Wilderness Way, and Jamaica Relief.  

4. Remember why we celebrate. 

Finally, and most importantly, we can spark the Christmas spirit by meditating on the reason we’re celebrating in the first place. We celebrate Christmas because God humbled Himself to the point of becoming a child. He lived fully human. He was hungry, tired, needy, and vulnerable. He suffered in every way we suffer, and He redefined what it means to be human. Because of Christ’s incarnation, we can know that our stress and anxiety are not in contrast to the true Christmas spirit. If anything, they serve as a reminder of what Christmas really means: that we can encounter God with our whole selves, flawed humanity and all. So, even now, as joy and grief coexist, the meaning of the season remains the same: We are not alone. God is near to us. Hallelujah.