Having trouble getting into the spirit of the holiday season? Try these 10 foolproof ways of getting into the Christmas spirit.

1. Watch Christmas movies and classic TV specials from your childhood like A Charlie Brown Christmas, It’s a Wonderful Life, Frosty the Snowman, Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer, and White Christmas. What is your favorite?

2. Go to a live show like a socially distanced outdoor concert or a local community production. Or if you can’t go out, watch a live concert online or on TV.

3. Connect with family and friends. Don’t just mail out Christmas cards and call it a holiday. Pick up the phone and talk to people, or meet a favorite aunt or cousin for a hot cocoa.

4. Decorate. Bring the outdoors in by hanging a wreath made of real evergreen pieces. Light some holiday-scented candles in pine, balsam, cinnamon, or sugar cookie fragrances. Celebrate your inner bling by hanging colored strings of lights.

5. Declutter. Tidy up your living space and you’ll feel an instant weight lifted. Get rid of a bunch of stuff you don’t need. Better yet: Donate items to those who need them more.

6. Listen to Christmas music. My favorites are A Charlie Brown Christmas by the Vince Guaraldi Trio, A Partridge Family Christmas Card (my all-time favorite), Christmas With the Rat Pack, Rosemary Clooney’s White Christmas, David Benoit’s Remembering Christmas, Chris Botti’s December, Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker Suite, Have a Holly Jolly Christmas by Burl Ives, and any of the Andy Williams Christmas albums.

7. Practice Gratitude. Christmas, whether you observe it as a religious or secular holiday, is all about celebrating life. Be grateful for what you have, especially your health and that of your family and friends. We have so much to be thankful for every day.

8. Give. Get out of your own head and instead of thinking about what you’ll be getting as gifts, enjoy the gift of giving. If you don’t have family or you don’t exchange with friends, go shopping and put your packages into a donation bin. Or give the gift of your time. Volunteer to make Christmas special for the less fortunate.

9. Smile. The simple act of smiling can make your whole body feel better. Try it right now, even if you don’t feel like it. Feel better? I know you do.

10. Explore other holiday traditions. I grew up celebrating Christmas, but Christmas isn’t the only holiday this time of year. Spend an evening with friends during Hanukkah, or find out what Kwanzaa is all about, or celebrate winter solstice. Experience the traditions of other cultures. You may find they have more similarities than you thought.

What is your favorite way to get into the Christmas spirit?