Abby's preschool-era fingerpaint Christmas wreath. Look closely at the end of her name -- she also discovered the exclamation point that year. An enthusiastic writer is born.

One of the best things about growing up is that it somehow makes it even more fun to act like a kid.

Just the other day, my roommate, who spends her summers as a camp counselor at Camp Stella Maris in Livonia, N.Y., led a group of our friends in a few rounds of campfire-style word games in the living room of our apartment. Granted, we should’ve been studying for finals at that point – but the community bonding was well worth it.

I’ve been thinking a lot about my childhood after making the move back to my parents’ house for Christmas break – maybe it’s because my mom has kept every painted handprint Christmas wreath and macaroni Santa Claus I’ve ever created. I think we all need to draw on that pure, unadulterated bliss of being a kid once in a while, and Christmas is a fine time to start.

And with that – I’m presenting you with a segment of my favorite childhood Christmas special: “Carol of the Bells” from Will Vinton’s Claymation Christmas Celebration. (The face that goofball bell makes at 1:51 will always, always crack me up.) If you’ve got a tried-and-true holiday VHS tape you watch every year, feel free to share the joy and post it in the comment section below.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from me and the rest of the Edge staff to you!