The Underdog.

"I want to forget how conviction fits.

But can I get out from under it?"

-Spoon.

Christmas seems to be quickly approaching. Yeah, Thanksgiving has to pass and God forbid we forget the all-time great shopping extravaganza we know, Black Friday. But all I can think about is the smell of Douglas Firs and the late night caroling. Christmas isn't just a holiday for me either; it represents a break in the school year and chance to go home for a little while. Don't we all need that touch of paradise every once in a while? I'm thinking about starting a mini-Christmas bucket list for the holidays. Just a few ideas up my sleeve for this festive season:

1. Getting a fresh, hand-cut Christmas tree from a farm. Surely, California won't be as snowy, but I'll be bundling up with my family to drink some hot cider while my dad gets frustrated more often than not while trying to saw it down.

2. Go to Disneyland for the holiday decorations. Literally, my favorite thing about Disneyland is how pretty it looks all the time...especially during Christmas. Maybe a road trip to Anaheim is in order...

3. Baking (and eating...whoops) all the Christmas cookies I can imagine. Santa's gotta eat, too, you know!

4. Gingerbread house building. This is literally the peak of every Christmas holiday. I'm not kidding. Gingerbread houses make my heart so happy and they look so cute! My festive obsession.

5. Salvation Army bell ringer donations. No wait, I lied. THIS is my absolute favorite part of the holiday season. Nothing makes me feel more selfless than dropping my grocery store change into these buckets. I literally have to do it every time I see one of these because it's just too good to be true. Definitely the highlight without a doubt.