No matter where you fall on the holiday spirit spectrum, from Mariah Carey (extra festive) to Scrooge, you can’t deny that the holiday season is in full swing. Ugly Christmas sweater party invites are popping up on Facebook quicker than you can say “spiked eggnog,” the Michael Bublé Christmas album has resurfaced from the depths of everyone’s iTunes library, and the craving for hot chocolate has been growing despite the New Orleans heat (75 degrees in December? Okay.) But with the excitement of the holidays comes a whole host of social customs and obligations that are less than stellar. To help your holidays go a little bit smoother, The Arcade has compiled a handy how-to guide to survive the season.

Family Matters

The thought of getting home and spending quality time with your family after months of being away is a huge motivator to get through finals. Things start off strong with family board game nights and watching “Elf” on repeat … until a week into winter break when you suddenly remember why you chose to go out of state for college. Remember, your parents nag because they care. They’ll incessantly ask questions about college life because they have spent the last three months wondering what you’ve been up to, if you’ve been eating enough and why you stopped calling after September. No number of Facebook updates can fully sum up your experiences for them.

Snow Place Like Home

After spending the last several months in the New Orleans heat, the transition to weather that actually gets below 50 degrees may come as a bit of a shock. No, you should not pack your sandals for your trip home. They will not do you any good in the foot of snow that will greet you upon your arrival. Your friends who stayed in-state will mercilessly mock you for not being able to handle the cold weather anymore, so layer up on your sweaters, and definitely do not mention the fact you broke out your Patagonia that one day the low was 54 degrees.

Helluva Holiday

If you will not be headed home for the holidays, or are looking for ways to get festive during finals study breaks, there are plenty of ways to enjoy yourself here in New Orleans. Miracle on Fulton Street, a holiday market with live entertainment, is a winter wonderland open on the weekends running from Dec. 4 through the 27th. On the Sunday before Christmas, Caroling in Jackson Square is a New Orleans tradition. Even a stroll through Audubon Park or City Park to look at the lights provides a perfect festive fix.

Go forth and have a holly jolly holiday. From The Arcade to you, happy Hull-idays.