The holiday season is the most wonderful — and stressful — time of the year. Whether it’s parents trying to make their kids’ Christmas special or stores trying to reach their sales goals for the year, the holidays bring out the best and worst of people’s personalities.

From the families who have to outdo their vacation location every year to the mom who has her shopping done before the decorations up, everyone has their own unique way of making their holidays special.  

First up is the Christmas Enthusiast, my personal favorite. The types of people who look forward to Christmas all year. They don’t wait until Thanksgiving to have all their Christmas lights on their house and inflate their Santas and snowmen in the front yard for all the neighbors to see. Having the Christmas radio on 24/ 7 in the car is just a normal, everyday thing from November 1 till the middle of January. Don’t be surprised when they ask you for your Christmas list at the Thanksgiving dinner table. 

On the opposite side, we have the Grinch. They have nightmares about the Christmas enthusiast and will go to great lengths to push back holiday preparations until the last minute. December is the only correct time for anything related to Christmas, and you can’t expect much effort in decorations from this house. In perfect Grinch fashion, they will steal the fun right out of any holiday parties and resort to the bare minimum concerning gifts for friends and family. They truly just don’t understand the magic that revolves around the holiday seasons and would rather stay at home on the couch than go out and decorate the town. 

We all know the one family that goes on a tropical Christmas getaway every year. The Travelers always have to keep outdoing themselves each year with an even better location for their family trip. One year it’s Florida, next Outer Banks, all you know is you are going to see the amazing pictures on social media. At first, you may be jealous, but then you realize that there is nothing better than being in the comfort of your own home with your family on what is hopefully a white Christmas.

The Host is the family that pulls off the best holiday party each year. You may go to many holiday parties during December, but theirs will always stand out from the rest. Each year, they add to the menu and the guest list, so the party keeps getting better year after year. With Christmas decorations that look personally done, walking down the driveway is an experience in itself. Make sure not to go to this party if you already had dinner because you will be unable to resist the temptation of all the amazing food and desserts laid out with care on the kitchen island. The host will plan their party all year long to make sure they win the competition that the rest of their friends don’t even realize exists.

And lastly, the Tradition-Oriented Family.  This group will be perfectly content doing the same thing every year for the holidays. They cherish being surrounded by the people they love each year. They have their plans already set and do not feel the need to introduce anything new each year. Whether it be going to see a movie, eating at their aunt’s house, or driving around to see Christmas lights, the way the tradition-centered family spends the holidays will not change.