I don’t know about you, but I’ve noticed that it’s a lot harder to get into the Christmas spirit as an adult than it is as a kid. And I’m the most fun-loving, kid-like adult I know! I play with my child every day (for most of the day, really) and we’re always into seasonal activities and holidays. But for some reason, Christmas is usually so stressful. Maybe it’s all the commercialism, the gift-buying, or the pressure to create a magical time for your child.

While buying wrapping paper last night, I found myself finally getting into the Christmas spirit. I was humming “Santa Clause is Comin’ to Town,” when I stopped, a little embarrassed. Maybe that’s why the Christmas spirit is so elusive sometimes—because we’re a little afraid to be like children in front of other adults. And Christmastime is all about being like children, right?

There are a few things that help me get into the spirit of Christmas that I’d like to share. I hope they help anyone else feeling a little Scrooge-ish, too. And if you have any tips or tricks, please feel free to share them, too.

• Listen to your favorite holiday music. Don’t listen to a loop of crappy holiday songs, and for goodness sake, don’t listen to holiday songs in November! Wait until the first or second week of December (though, if you’re out shopping, you’re not going to be able to avoid them) and play a CD of your favorites (make it yourself if you have to). Some of mine are Bruce Springsteen’s “Santa Clause is Comin’ to Town” (referenced above), Paul McCartney’s “Simply Having a Wonderful Christmastime,” Elton John’s “Step Into Christmas,” Dan Fogleberg’s “Same Old Lang Syne,” and Brenda Lee’s “Rocking Around the Christmas Tree.”
• Don’t start early. The earlier we start, the worse it seems to me. Get stressful stuff out of the way if you must—like the shopping and such—but don’t do any celebrating, music playing, or movie-watching until closer to Christmas.
• Give. Sometimes all it takes is a heartfelt volunteer activity to put you into the mood of the season. One year my husband and I went to a toy store and spent half our pay on Toys for Tots donations. We were fortunate that we could do that, and it was one of the best feelings I ever had.
• Watch your favorite Christmas movies. For us, this includes How the Grinch Stole Christmas, all of the classic Christmas clay cartoons (Rudolph, The Year Without a Santa Clause, etc.), Miracle on 34^th Street, and The Polar Express. For some reason, we always watch It’s a Wonderful Life on New Year’s Eve, but that’s another great one. My husband and I always have our own Lord of the Rings marathon during December, too.
• Create a tradition to get you into the spirit. Have a movie marathon, bake cookies, or try one of these ideas. Do something that you know will make you feel like it’s Christmastime. My favorite tradition is wrapping presents while watching Love Actually and drinking hot chocolate.