Instagram Highlights | 2018

Happy New Year's Eve! I hope you are enjoying some time off and preparing for a fun night with friends ringing in a new year. Last year I shared a round-up of everything that I did in 2017, and I wanted to do the same for this year. A lot happened in the past 12 months, so let's get right into it!

J A N U A R Y 
I started off 2018 with a super crazy long flu that lasted 3 weeks! I was supposed to head back to school for my final winter session, but I was stuck home while I recovered and thank goodness I felt better in time to start classes during the last week of January! This was our official "last first day of school" picture with me and all my best friends. I wasn't actually supposed to be seen on campus with them since I was disaffiliated from my sorority during recruitment, but we managed to sneak a few pictures ;)

F E B R U A R Y
At the beginning of February, we had Bid Day for sorority recruitment and I was able to rejoin my sorority to celebrate our new members one last time. I took this super cute pictures with two of my best friends who had committed to joining my sorority with me, and it was such a bittersweet moment. I also went to a few fun birthday brunches and helped host a Valentine's Day party in my apartment this month.

M A R C H
March was a great month! We started it off by getting our newest fam members, then I went on a cruise to the Bahamas for spring break and we had the BEST time! It was seriously the trip of a lifetime and one that I will never forget -- I highly recommend going on a cruise for a spring break trip if you are looking for something to do! Then to top it all off, as soon as we came back from spring break, I had my final dance showcase, which was another emotional and truly bittersweet day.

A P R I L

April is always a fun month at Hopkins because of both Homecoming Weekend and Spring Fair. This year Spring Fair was outer space themed (hence the metallic skirt)!

M A Y
I graduated from college! I got my Bachelor's Degree in Global Environmental Change and Sustainability, and double-minored in Entrepreneurship and Management and Spanish Language and Hispanic Culture. All of my degrees are such a mouthful but I am so proud of all the hard work that I put in while I was at school and the opportunities it has provided me. I was also extra proud to receive general and departmental honors as well as a 4.0 GPA in my final semester!

J U N E

I just couldn't stay away from my friends for long and so my brother and I hosted another beach weekend this year with some of our besties. The weather wasn't ideal, but we still had tons of fun enjoying the summer before everyone's real-world plans kicked in.

J U L Y

In July, my mom, sister and I finally got to see Taylor Swift on her Reputation Stadium Tour! The show was absolutely amazing and there were so many great moments from the show. I was really impressed by this concert and was also super happy that the weather held out on us since it POURED the following day at her show!

A U G U S T

My college roommate Lauren visited me and we had a fun-filled weekend of beaching, visiting Grounds for Sculpture, and hanging out. We had a few close call scenarios that weekend and were in belly-laughs the entire time. I also turned 23 at the end of August and started my 101 in 1001 list!

S E P T E M B E R

In September, I went back to Hopkins for my first post-graduate visit and enjoyed Young Alumni Weekend. It was so wonderful to see all of my friends again and catch up with the people who still live in Baltimore. I can't wait to visit again in the spring and see campus at the most social time of year. My sister also had her Sweet Sixteen this month and it was SO much fun!

O C T O B E R

I fully embraced the fall weather in October and had myself a weekend with my friend Jacqui, where we went pumpkin picking, drank lots of apple cider, and wound our way through a giant Avengers-themed corn maze. It was such a fun weekend and then October ended on a high note when I got my job offer!

N O V E M B E R

Before starting my job toward the end of November, I spent lots of time making sure to see all my friends and prepare to start the job. I had my first few weeks of work this month and also had a wonderful Thanksgiving with family. 

D E C E M B E R

At this point, I am in the swing of things with my job and am fortunate enough to have off during the holidays to spend time with my family. I am fully soaking in this week to catch up on writing blog posts, binge some TV shows, and get myself organized for 2019. I am really looking forward to the new year and I can't wait to see what my first full year out of college has in store. The holidays this year definitely felt a little different and so I am excited to go full force into 2019!

2018/19 Reader Survey + New Blog Name!?

I cannot believe that we are days away from a new year! I won't be making a new bucket list or set of goals for 2019 since I already have the 101 in 1001 list that I am chipping away at. But on that list are some major things that I want to tackle in the new year, such as:

 - Redecorate my bedroom at home

- Join a gym

and

- Rebrand my blog!

As I prepare for the new year, I have done a lot of thinking about The Scalloped Edge and how it has changed from when I first started back in 2014 (at the time I was still The Timeless Prep too!) My content is changing, I am looking into lots of new blogging features, and it's time to step up my game! 

Here's where you can help -- by completing this super quick multiple-choice survey to let me know what you think of this blog! There are only three non-MC questions that are completely optional in case you want to give me more feedback, but it shouldn't take more than 2 minutes and it would help me immensely. This way, I'll know what you like and what you don't so that come 2019, my content will be better than ever.

Click here for the survey -- it will only take a minute of your time. OR to make it super easy for you, I've embedded the survey below so you don't even have to leave the page!

Thanks for following along for the past four years! Here's to 2019 and another great year of blogging.

P.S. This survey will collect email addresses so that I can reach out to my readers with exclusive content and get more feedback about rebranding! I will never share your information with any third parties XOX 

What I Got For Christmas 2018

Merry Christmas everyone! Today I wanted to drop by quickly to share what I got, what I gave, and what I wore for the holidays this year. This time of year is always so busy so I put this blog post together super fast (that's also why it's not going up at 9 AM) but I hope you enjoy it nonetheless!

I also gave my sister and grandmother photobooks from Shutterfly! Unfortunately, I can't link those here, but they came out really well and I am so happy that they both loved their gifts.

Here are 10 of my favorite things I got this year!

A glimpse at what I wore this year for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day... Some of my items are old or couldn't be found online, so I'm linking similar products here.

I hope you all enjoyed your holidays! I'd love for you to comment below the best gift you gave or received this year. I am so thankful that 2018 was an amazing year and I hope you can all get excited for some really great blog content coming your way in 2019.

My Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

Merry Christmas Eve! Tonight I am headed to my aunt and uncle's house to enjoy the Feast of the Seven Fishes, which is an Italian Christmas Eve tradition. It's my favorite night of the whole year and has the best food, good company, and great vibes. While I will hopefully be eating lots of cannolis for dessert tonight, I wanted to share my favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe in case you are baking today.

This image is of a chain letter that was sent around probably sometime in the 80s. My mom has had this recipe (this exact image) printed out and in her baking recipe book for years and I always thought the story at the top of the page is so funny! 

In the spirit of helping share this recipe with as many people as possible, I wanted to post it today for you all so that you can bake some delicious holiday cookies today. I swear these are the absolute best chocolate chip cookies I have ever tried. They are so soft and will stay soft for days if you put a slice of bread in the container with the cookies. They are also perfect for mixing in other toppings -- one year a friend and I made 12 dozen cookies with different mix-ins ranging from cranberries to white chocolate chips.

I hope you enjoy this recipe and have a happy holiday season!

5 Things I Learned From My First Month of Work

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Today marks one month at my first real-world job experience! I am actually off today for the beginning of my winter break and I am so excited to be home with my family for the holidays. But, that won't stop me from sharing some of my best tips that I learned over the course of the month. Many of these tips might not be new or innovative, but they are seriously the most important things and what I think about every day when I am getting my work done. 

O N E

Complete assignments before you are asked to do them! I have noticed that a lot of times in meetings there are smaller, random tasks that get thrown around and someone needs to do them. I have figured out at this point which of these tasks my supervisor would probably delegate to me later on in the day, and be sure to complete them before she even asks me about it! That way, our entire team is one step ahead of the game in the afternoon.

T W O

Volunteer to help with assignments that might not be your own deliverables. As part of a team, you will often be asked for help by your coworkers on projects both big and small. The gesture of volunteering your help can go a long way if someone is overwhelmed or trying to juggle multiple projects at once. Especially during the holiday season, everyone could use a helping hand to pitch in and as a new hire, this really shows your dedication and team spirit.

T H R E E

There is no task beneath you. If your boss asks you to print out 100 copies of a meeting agenda or any other small task, put as much effort into completing that task as you would any other assignment. Even though a task might be seen as super "important," you very well may be contributing to the smooth sailing of your team or company for the day, which can mean the world.

F O U R

Absorb all the information that you can. Since my current role is in communications, part of my job includes reading through media reports, press releases, and other publications on a daily basis. I have learned so much about my company and industry at large just from reading and learning this information. I now feel much more confident in speaking about what my company does and provided backstories when I am asked by family and friends about my job. This is all thanks to my willingness to absorb and learn as much information as I can, both from my daily tasks as well as from doing research in my downtime. 

F I V E

Introduce yourself to other people in the office! I cannot stress this one enough, because becoming friendly with your coworkers has a drastic impact on what your daily life is like at work. I was hesitant at first to meet people, but now I am finally starting to get to know more people in the office and can say hi and engage in conversation when I see them around. It is definitely scary to put yourself out there again, particularly if you aren't joining a company with a whole class of new grads, but it will make all the difference in your work experience!

Midweek Five | December 19

Happy Wednesday everyone! I was really trying to phase out my Midweek Five posts because I want to use my blog for as much 'real' content as possible, but between starting a new job and the holiday season fast approaching, there has honestly been hardly any time for me to write posts. I have spent a lot of time thinking about where this blog is headed for 2019, and I have tons of great ideas, but I just want to let you know that I have been adjusting to a new work/life balance over the past few weeks and so my posting may reflect that. Anywho, let's jump into some more exciting stuff!

O N E

I found this post a while back and had saved it so I could share with you all. How cool is this closet cleaning method that is based on color?! This method would probably work super well for me since I wear mostly neutrals with a few other shades, so I will have to test it in the future.

T W O

Now that I am working in the city, I have been trying to explore more places and take advantage of what New York has to offer at this time of year. On a recent trip with friends, we stopped by Cookie Do in Bryant Park and it was so yummy! I also would love to see the Rockefeller tree, St. Patrick's Cathedral and some of the light displays before the holidays end.

T H R E E

My favorite holiday sweater I got this season is on sale! You can find it here.

F O U R

The top posts you guys have been enjoying: my holiday wishlist, my gift guide, and how to watch holiday movies for free online. Plus here's my favorite post I worked on for the season: the holiday capsule wardrobe.

F I V E

One of the new ways I have been embracing the Christmas season this year is by doing a daily Advent reading. You might recall that one of my 101 in 1001 items is to read the Bible in full, and I am almost there! The app I have been using to read is called She Reads Truth, and they have a very convenient Bible in a Year section that breaks down everything into little daily sections. Their Advent devotionals are also very short and I have been enjoying them as a new way to experience the holiday season.

Why You Should Take the Summer Off After College Graduation

Photo by Tracy Gao

This post was originally featured on The Caffeinated Millennial. 

Around this time last year, all of my friends started getting job offers. One of my roommates already knew where she would be working and was apartment hunting, while others were beginning applications to graduate and Ph.D. programs, taking the GRE and MCAT, and attending career fairs like they were the hottest events of the year.

It was easy to get caught up in this and worry if I was falling behind or not doing the right thing by not already knowing where I would be come May. On top of it all, I was stretching myself thin with a full course load, leading multiple student groups, and saying Yes to every opportunity someone asked me about. Not only was I using every waking hour of my time on school-related activities, but I also decided that I would start job searching in my “free time.”

The pressure to say that I had gotten an offer or knew what I was doing post-grad was high, and though I did have one offer that I ultimately declined, for some time I wondered whether I had made a mistake even though I knew I wouldn’t have been happy. At least I could tell people I had a job! I wouldn’t have to search anymore! Two years in a job and place I didn’t want to be would be fine!

When I walked across the graduation stage in May, I had no plan. My job search dwindled as I decided to soak up every last bit of being at college, and I decided that I would look over the summer and see what happened. So I took the summer off and didn’t jump straight into a career. But now that I am five months out and starting my first (dream) job soon, I can without a doubt say that the timing was right for me. Here’s what I learned from taking off and why I think everyone can benefit from doing the same.

1.     You get to recharge your mind and body.

We all know that college really takes a toll on your mind and body. From all-nighters in the library, wacky nap and sleep schedules, and four years of dining hall food choices, you probably are significantly more drained when you end college than when you begin. Taking the summer off means that you can give your body time to get back into a normal, healthy routine. I’m notoriously a late sleeper and always feel tired, so when I first got home in the summer I didn’t bother setting alarms and gave myself plenty of time to sleep (even if it seemed like too much). I also made sure to choose healthy snacks and foods to fuel my body and now, I am both able to wake up with my alarm at a reasonable hour AND tend to reach for fruits, smoothies, and other healthy snacks over junk food.

2.     You can educate yourself in new ways.

One of my favorite things to do during the summer is to read books. Instead of focusing on hefty articles that I have to read for class, I love having time to read about things I actually enjoy. After graduation, I had infinite time on my hands to read books, subscribe to newsletters, and check out podcasts. While I love reading fun novels and beach reads, I started picking up more books from my public library that relate to my intended career field and educational non-fiction books that would expand my horizons. By keeping up with the news and listening to podcasts with leading experts in my field, I am continuously learning in ways I enjoy that will also help me with my career down the line.

3.     You’ll never have time like this again.

It’s hard to imagine, but never again in your life will you have so much free time to explore, travel, and take time for yourself. The rest of your life will be dedicated to working daily, with limited time for vacation and fun, so now is the chance to travel abroad, complete a bucket list, or just spend time bumming on the beach or at home. Instead of viewing this time as a disadvantage compared to those who are jumpstarting their lives and careers right after graduation, think of it as an open-ended opportunity to learn about yourself, participate in new things, and relax!

4.     You deserve it!

Getting a college degree is no small feat. So much hard work and discipline go into being a college student, that you should be proud of your accomplishments and relish in that for a while. Don’t beat yourself up for not being “on pace” with other students who seem to have it all figured out – I promise everyone has their ups and downs even if it looks like they are pulled together 24/7. If you’re having trouble accepting this downtime, write out a list of all the things you’ve accomplished during your time at college, from big projects you are proud of to the incredible lasting friendships you made. We often think that we are behind the curve without taking time to remember all the work we put in to get where we are today. Congratulations grad – you deserve this time off!

Looking back, if I had rushed into the job that I was offered just to say that I was doing something after graduation, I would never have applied to or gotten the offer for my dream job! If you’re in the same boat and are getting stressed by everyone’s job offers, grad school acceptances, and sense of direction, just remember that we all grow at our own pace, and taking the summer off after graduation just might be the right thing for you.

Three Places to Search for Opportunities at Your Dream Job

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Happy Friday! I am almost a month in at my new job and one of the most frequently asked questions from friends and family is where I found the job posting for my position. I honestly don't remember because were was a large gap in between when I applied and when I heard back, but since starting I have become a lot more active on LinkedIn and thought it would be beneficial to my college-aged readers to share where to look for opportunities at your dream company!

The first place I always look for jobs is LinkedIn. This is such a wonderful platform because it gives you access to a ton of information about the company, including if you have any connections or mutual alumni that work there. You can also see up-to-date news about the organization and search jobs with a pretty good variety of filters for location, level, and more. One of the features I like to utilize on LinkedIn is to follow my dream companies and set email alerts for new jobs in my area for that company. Every single time the company posts a listing that fits your given criteria, you will get notified and can look into the position further! 

In addition to simply looking for jobs, by following along with your dream brands you can engage with their posts, sharing when you think something is super cool or exciting, and commenting or liking other posts you enjoy. Engaging with a brand virtually will show that you have a genuine interest in the company, and can help bolster your application when it is being reviewed (think of it like college admissions - schools know who has gone on a tour, information session, or engaged with the university in any capacity before they are accepted). 

Another way that I look for dream jobs is by going directly to the company website. Sometimes a company may not actively post their opening on LinkedIn because they use some other platform to track their job applications. Going directly to the website and checking in regularly can give you a good idea of what jobs they have available and even see an overview of the different departments the company has to offer. Head straight to the source and cut out the job application middle man! I also find that the company website is usually updated more frequently than the LinkedIn jobs page.

So make a list of your dream companies, even if you feel like they are totally out of reach. Head to the website for each company and search for positions that are in your desired field. Reading through job descriptions can be super beneficial to let you know what skills, programs, or other strengths you may need to add to your resume before you can land your dream job! If your dream job requires knowledge of Salesforce, SolidWorks, or another program that you have no current experience with, you'll at least know that you should look into learning that program so you can head in the right direction.

Lastly, there are a ton of cool companies that post on social media when they are hiring. I have seen job postings for brands like Everlane or TheSkimm when scrolling through Instagram stories, for example. I find this to be pretty indicative of the company culture since most traditional companies would not use social media platforms for job recruitment, and if you are looking into more startup-y companies, you could also drop a DM asking if the company is hiring. 

I hope you find these tips useful for your job search! Let me know in the comments below what platforms you use for job searching.

Moodboard for Winter 2018/2019

My mood boards are always very popular each season and it's time to share an updated version for this winter. Right now, I am loving a cozy aesthetic made up of wintery whites, grays, and cool tones. I love natural elements like wood, silk, and wool. I am also enjoying the warm vibes of streetlights on snowy evenings, the feeling of relief at the end of performing a beautiful ballet, and wearable statements on the eyes and lips. This is the season of contrast, where you party all night one day and stay in with a cup of tea the next. The changing of the year will bring new excitement grounded by familiarity and comfort in the unknown. 

How are you feeling going into 2019?

Fun, Easy, and Free Winter Activities

Fifteen days until Christmas and only 11 until the Winter Solstice! Today I wanted to share a few fun ideas for cheap or free winter activities that you can enjoy this season without breaking the bank. These are great when you need a last-minute plan with friends, family, or even a date and don't want to spend a whole lot, but still have a meaningful winter/holiday experience.

ONE | Go sledding somewhere in your town when it snows. As a kid, whenever it would snow, we would all get together with our friends and drive to the high school, which had a really big hill next to the soccer fields. We would spend an hour or two sledding and then go back to someone's house for hot chocolate.

TWO | Have a holiday movie marathon and watch all your favorites in one day! This is especially easy to do if you want to watch the older classic films because they are all decently short. They also can all be found online for free, which makes this such an easy indoor activity.

THREE | Bake a variety of holiday cookies and then have a taste test to determine your favorites. There is nothing better than the smell of warm, freshly baked cookies during the winter season, and there are so many yummy types to try (post on that coming soon!). Get a group of friends together one night to bake, or host it as a cookie exchange instead and crown the Cookie Queen!

FOUR | Drive around to see Christmas lights in your town or state. Every state has one or two towns that are known for their outrageous Christmas displays. Find one near you and drive around looking at all the lights one night. The same thing goes for hotels, resorts, amusement parks, and malls - some really go all out with the Christmas decor!

FIVE | Host a gingerbread house competition. You can purchase ready-made gingerbread houses at stores like Costco and set up teams to decorate each house, then have a panel of judges choose winners based on different categories, like the best theme, neatest decorations, and most unique.

SIX | Embrace your inner child and build a fort. Combine this with Idea #2 and make a cozy blanket fort to watch all your holiday movies in.

SEVEN | Make your own ornaments using art supplies that you already have at home, or can purchase at a dollar/craft store. There are so many unique homemade ornament ideas on Pinterest to try out to fit whatever budget or Christmas tree style you want.

EIGHT | Get out all your favorite board games for a game night! Break out the classics like Scrabble and Monopoly, get active with Twister, or go for a full-on girl's night and play some Mall Madness (comment below if you also had this game and LOVED it)!

NINE | Host a wintery talent show. This is especially fun with young kids but can work for all ages. When I danced throughout high school, we used to have an annual dance-off where we were split into teams and had to come up with a themed dance set to holiday music. We had to choreograph, sing, and stage the entire production and at the end of class, we would present to the other groups. This normally resulted in the wildest, most imaginative dance productions yet, including our own renditions of the Nutcracker and tales about going over the river and through the woods to Grandma's house for Christmas. I highly recommend this for an activity that will result in belly laughs, happy tears, and the best ab workout you'll have all year.

TEN | Go caroling! This is something I've always wanted to do and I think it is so magical when you do see carolers out and about during this time of year. Arrange for a group to carol around town, at a holiday event, or even visit a nursing home or children's hospital, if it is allowed, to spread some cheer this season.

4 Tips for Maintaining a Daily Journal

The countdown to the end of 2018 is more real than ever! We only have 3 more weeks to accomplish all the goals from this year's resolutions list, and some of those goals may be easier to fulfill than others. I personally have some larger goals that I have to put off until 2019, like redecorating my room or establishing a workout routine, but there are also lots of smaller goals that I have and can continue to work on from now until the new year.

One of my goals (from my 101 in 1001 list) was to journal every day for a month. I set out to do this during the month of November. Because of Thanksgiving and the approaching holiday season, it seemed like the perfect time to give this a shot.  

Full disclaimer here, but I did not end up journaling every single day. Some nights I was too tired or up too late, and other times I didn't feel like I had anything to say. In the end, I journaled closer to 20 of the 30 days in November. And that's totally okay! I put in the effort and tried to journal when I felt up to it, so I don't feel like I 'failed' this challenge. If this is something you want to try going into 2019, below are 4 of the tips I used to help me (mostly) stick with it for the month.

ONE | Set a daily reminder for yourself to journal. I had a phone reminder set every night for 10 PM so that I could write briefly before going to sleep. Without this reminder, I know I would have forgotten or made less of an effort to journal consistently.

TWO | Create a time and space where you are comfortable writing. This tip is all about setting the mood for writing. Grab a beautiful notebook and your favorite pen, get cozy in your PJs, and plant yourself somewhere inspiring to write. Creating a space with the proper ambiance will help get you in the mood and feel good about writing in a journal every day. 

THREE | Keep your journal entries short. If you want to write multiple pages, go ahead. But don't feel like you need to write things down just to say something or fill up your notebook. If you only choose to write a few sentences each day, that's okay!

FOUR | Don't put too much pressure on yourself. While it's great to set a goal like Journal for X minutes each day or Write X pages every day, give yourself room for adaptation. Every day brings different circumstances, and you might find yourself needing to adjust your goal in accordance with what is going on in your life. Keep your goals fluid, and you'll be less likely to give them up if you skip one day or two. 

For more journaling inspiration, I really loved this post by Caroline of Unfancy. What is one goal that you are working towards completing this year?

Holiday Capsule Wardrobe Inspired by When Harry Met Sally's Sally Albright

Hi everyone! Today's post is a really special one... it's a holiday capsule wardrobe inspired by my favorite 80s fashion icon and festive outfit extraordinaire, Sally Albright from When Harry Met Sally!

WHMS is one of my all-time favorite autumnal movies, but in reality, a lot of the movie takes place during the holiday season (and you know how important New Year's is to the film!) We are also in a total fashion throwback era, with styles from the 70s, 80s, and 90s popping up in all the stores. I pulled the following pieces from a master list of all the outfits that Sally wears, and you can recreate a lot of her looks from the movie OR mix and match your own favorite pieces to get the perfect holiday capsule look!

One of the other aaaaamazing things about this capsule wardrobe is that every piece is under $150, with most coming in under $100! That way, you don't have to feel guilty about adding one or two of these items to your holiday rotation to spice up your look.

A quick note about this capsule: I based it on the capsule wardrobes that The Everygirl makes each year for the season. They are my absolute favorite thing and give me so much inspiration! I wanted to put my own twist on it by basing off of Sally's style, and I hope you love what I've put together for you. Below are two weeks worth of outfits for all kinds of occasions, but you can mix these pieces in even more ways! Let me know which outfit is your favorite in the comments below, and tell me what your favorite scene in WHMS is 😍

Classic Animated Holiday Movies You can Watch Online

Happy December! We are finally within those 25 days until Christmas and the spirit of the season is alive and well. My family started decorating right after Thanksgiving because we just couldn't wait ;) 

I'll be honest, this lineup for Freeform's 25 Days of Christmas this year is not my favorite... tons of the classics are missing and they are really gearing up for some of the new Disney live-action movies instead. It's a little disappointing. Also the Netflix selection this year seems to be lacking, too. BUT, have no fear because I'm linking below to all the OG animated Christmas movies so you can watch them straight from your computer and for free.

One of my favorite ways to beat the finals slump in college was by watching these animated classics after exams or on days when I just wanted to relax. Whether you're a college student or you just want to feel the nostalgia of the Holiday claymation films, this list is for you!  

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Santa Claus is Comin' to Town | This is the story of Chris Kringle and Christmas, featuring affectionately named villains like Burgermeister Meigsterburger. 

Frosty the Snowman | It wouldn't be Christmas without this feel-good tale! I also love the magician, Professor Hinkle, who is wacky in the most hilarious way.

Frosty Returns (starts at 25:19) | If you haven't seen this movie, you have to! The second installment of Frosty is about a town where they develop a product that melts snow, and it's full of fun songs and cute characters.

Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer | Another absolute classic that teaches us how to appreciate our differences.

The Year Without a Santa Claus | My favorite part of this film is the scene where the two sons of Mother Nature, the Heat Miser and the Snow Miser, sing about their feelings towards Christmas weather.

A Charlie Brown Christmas | This film is the one I most frequently watched during final exams at school since it is so short and makes for the perfect 30-minute study break. This version of Hark The Herald Angels Sing makes my Top 10 list for best Christmas song, but I also love when Linus tells the story of Christmas from the Bible.

Dr. Seuss's How the Grinch Stole Christmas | IMHO, this is the only version of this film worth watching. There is nothing quite as wonderful as the original narration of this story from Dr. Suess, with its rhyming and made-up words. 

The Polar Express | The Polar Express started as a wonderful book and is now a beautifully done movie featuring Tom Hanks (my favorite guy!). He plays almost all the major characters in the film, from the little boy to Santa Claus himself. The story gives me all the warm and fuzzies, and it's one of my personal favorites. I remember going to see this in IMAX 3D when it first came out and I still remember the experience to this day!