Need to talk to a friend? Why wait until class to see them? Just send them a direct message. Can’t wait for the Ugg boots you ordered to come in? Use same day delivery. Need a good cake? Use instant mix and skip the hassle of making batter.

We love getting things we want at the instant we want them, to the point where being patient is merely a suggestion. Our everyday world urges us to avoid waiting, which is why retail stores start packing in Halloween and Christmas decorations by mid-July. It is also why Jimmy John’s can wrap up a sandwich in 30 seconds or less and Google brags about how quickly it generates 20 million results. We’re impatient.

Getting what you want, when you want it, feels great, but it’s not great all the time. Imagine celebrating your birthday all 365 days of the year. It’d be fun for maybe a few weeks, but not after getting a stomach ache from the constant cake, ice cream and overwhelming amounts of presents. The enjoyment of the whole day would go stale like a rotten batch of cookies left out for Santa.

Being patient and waiting to enjoy things has its rewards. Of course we wish Winter Break was tomorrow or that Christmas was starting in five minutes. Yet the anticipation of how special a day like Christmas is keeps us moving to make the holiday more special and exciting when it finally does arrive.

So as the holidays are upon us, I’m glad I held off on eating all the Topsy’s caramel popcorn I bought weeks ago because it tastes so much better. I’m also glad I haven’t opened up the Christmas gift from my parents or I would already know it was a new pair of running shoes. Oops, I mean I’m patiently waiting to see what that gift is…