College students don’t need any help figuring out how to celebrate Halloween. But other upcoming holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas/Hanukkah etc. are seen as more family-centered holidays. Well, it’s time we take back the season.

Since most people go back home to celebrate with their families, the trick is to do it early before everyone evacuates Gainesville en masse. To celebrate Thanksgiving, gather all your friends and have a pot-luck dinner the weekend before the real Thanksgiving. Unless you’re a big fan of cooking, you might want to be ready to call “not it” on making the turkey. It beats a boring awkward dinner with your parents and your drunk uncle.

Christmas is even more fun to celebrate. Gather your roommates and spread a little bit of cheer around your apartment by getting a tree and some stockings. Then spend the rest of the month leaving each other fun and inappropriate stocking stuffers. If you’re a big fan of the holiday season, you can put your laziness to good use and ensure that your apartment is full of cheer until at least March.

You can have even more fun if you share a dorm or apartment with someone who celebrates a holiday different than your own. Then you can make it your mission to out-decorate the other religion. Spoiler alert: Christmas wins.