Now that the holidays have passed, I look back and wish I had enjoyed them a little more.

These days, people seem to have forgotten the meaning and purpose of the holidays. The holidays are meant to be a main time for family and friends to spend time together and enjoy each other’s company with the occasional big holiday dinners.

But this doesn’t seem to be the typical case anymore.

For Christmas, a lot of people seem to be caught up in the idea of what presents they’re going to receive or how much money they’re going to spend on someone else.

As for Thanksgiving, people seem to forget that it’s about being thankful for the non-materialistic things in our lives and mainly spending times with the ones we love.

This year for Thanksgiving, I had a stereotypical Thanksgiving dinner with turkey, stuffing and casseroles, and did so with my family. It’s tradition to spend the holidays with my family and that’s one of the things I love most about the holidays. But as soon as the dinner was over, I left to go hang out with my friends, as did my siblings and cousins. Same happened on Christmas.

As I’ve grown up, little things, such as the holidays and their meaning, seem to mean so little as the generations grow. I’m not sure if it’s my age or if it’s a cultural change that has caused the shift, but I find it really sad how little the holidays mean to people.

So from a senior to those who still have a few years at home, I think we need to step back and remember the true meaning of the holidays.

Remember that Christmas is about giving instead of receiving, and that’s something that goes beyond a box wrapped in paper and a bow. Remember that Thanksgiving is about being thankful for the sentimental things you have in your life instead of the materialistic items.

And finally, remember that at Christmas and Thanksgiving to cherish the time spent with your family and those that love you instead of rushing through everything and wondering when it’s going to end. Because you’re going to be out of the house and off to college or living on your own before you know it.

And come to think of it, try an cherish the time with those you love at least once a month between now and the next holiday season.