This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2015, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Wait. It's already here? The CHRISTMAS? How did The Christmas get here so fast this year? I feel like I just barely took my tree down and here it is again — roaring around the corner like one of those Japanese bullet trains.

The thing is I like The Christmas. A lot! But I'm afraid if I blink, it'll be gone, so that's why I'm making up a list (and checking it twice, obv) of stuff I want to do and not do to get the most out of the season.

THINGS TO DO DURING DECEMBER 2015

1. Make a loaf or two of my mother's excellent Christmas tree bread. Also make a loaf or two of pulla — a Finnish sweetbread—for my husband.

2. Watch the Charlie Brown Christmas special.

3. Go to a Lower Lights concert.

4. Force the family to go ice-skating with me at least once, because nothing says HAPPY HOLIDAYS like forcing your family to do stuff they don't want to do.

5. Wear the hell out of my Christmas reindeer sweater.

6. Encourage my father to wear the hell out of HIS Christmas reindeer sweater.

7. Eat fruitcake. Because somebody has to. (Also, am I the last person standing who actually likes fruitcake?)

8. Hang an advent calendar on the kitchen wall and open a new window every day.

9. Make gingerbread men for my tree.

10. Or not.

11. Making gingerbread men for trees is one of those things that's always more fun in theory than it is in real life.

12. Take in one or two of the free 30-minute organ concerts at noon on Temple Square.

13. Walk downtown in the morning when it's still dark and look at the windows sans the crowds. Genius!

14. Buy a potted amaryllis. Also some paperwhites.

15. Watch a few holiday movies. (Suggestions welcomed!)

16. Put together a Christmas puzzle.

17. Melt a Milky Way bar in some milk for the best hot chocolate ever. (Thanks for the idea, Nancy.)

18. Re-read my favorite Christmas picture books including (but not limited to) "The Holly and the Ivy" by Rumer Godden, "Humphrey's First Christmas" by Carol Heyer, the version of "The Night Befire Christmas" illustrated by Anita Lobel, "A Letter to Santa Claus" by Rose Impey, "Carl's Christmas" by Alexandra Day, "The Nativity" by Julie Vivas, "The Littlest Angel" by Charles Tazewell," and "Wombat Divine" by Mem Fox.

19. Drive around at night and look at the Christmas lights.

20. Remember my grandparents and honor my Christmases past.

21. Turn off the radio whenever "Santa Baby" comes on.

22. Light thousands of candles. Or even just a few.

23. Take my granddaughter to see that big old gingerbread house thing they've got going on at The Grand America.

24. Walk down City Creek canyon after a fresh snowfall.

25. Rejoice with family and friends.

THINGS NOT TO DO DURING DECEMBER 2015

1. Drive downtown at night.

2. Buy more Christmas decorations. MEMO TO SELF: Just. Stop.

3. Eat all the fudge by myself. MEMO TO SELF: Just. Stop.

4. Let the tree die because I forgot to water it.

5. Spend too much time searching for the perfect gift.

6. Because, as it turns out, there's no such thing as the perfect gift.

7. Besides, perfection is SO overrated.

8. Not that I would know from personal experience.

9. Which reminds me of something else not to do this month.

10. Stress about my To Do list. If stuff gets done, fine. If stuff doesn't get done, also fine.

Meanwhile, I'm serious about the movie recommendations part. Here's to a happy December for all of us.

Ann Cannon can be reached at acannon@sltrib.com or facebook.com/anncannontrib.