honestly the best time of the year.

i never realized how incredibly fast christmas time can fly by without actually having time to stop and feel the spirit of the season. i suppose as presents lose their meaning (crazy that i'm admitting this/feeling this. i am a serious fan of santa and material goods in general), i've wanted to come closer to the Savior during this month of december. on the 29th i have the opportunity to go through the temple for my first time and the idea of being close to Christ has been on my mind. it's crazy to me that even my simple little life can distract me from living in a true christmas fashion. i'm trying out a "25 days of christmas" list (and to make you feel better about yourself, i was going to start december 1 but got too lazy. see what i'm talking about?) in an attempt to savor the experiences that can be ours in a well-orchestrated christmas month. any ideas/tips on how to make the most of the season? i've seen my fair share of good times in december. again, been distracted from some of my goals (like that darn book that seems like it is never going to be written!), but distracted by fun things and fun people. through all of this socialization, i've realized a few things. a.) never underestimate a good dinner of ethnic cuisine. completely worth the bad breath. b.) small groups=better than big parties of acquaintances. unless you are looking to get down on the dance floor. in that case, the more the merrier. c.) being strong enough to carry a 185 pound man on my back is a good feeling. d.) there is so much wonder in the world, remember to keep it in your every day life. e.) honesty is the best policy. you like someone, tell them. you enjoy something someone does, tell them. you have amazing friends, you tell them how amazing they are. f.) dating is weird. but when the right people come along, it becomes relatively less weird. your welcome, for this knowledge bomb i just dropped.