You probably don’t know that when I’m not teaching LSAT prep, I’m a freelance musician. Which means that my last few weeks have been full of corporate holiday parties, not-so-corporate holiday affairs, and, well, you get the idea. And lots of Christmas music. And the LSAT.

So I thought it might be nice to draw lessons for LSAT prep over the next week from Christmas songs. Expect strained analogies to follow.

“The Christmas Song” is often associated with Nat King Cole, but it was written by Mel Tormé (like many of the composers of Christmas songs, he was Jewish). The song’s opening reference to chestnuts roasting on an open fire has a lesson for those studying the LSAT. Roasting chestnuts require care and attention. If you get distracted for too long, you’ll end up with burnt chestnuts. The LSAT is the same way. You probably have a lot to do over the next week, but you’ll need to block off time to give the LSAT your undivided attention.

But as “Sleigh Ride” informs you, you’ll likely have friends outside calling “yoo-hoo.” Don’t ignore them. Just as you need to spend time on the LSAT, you should also spend some time having fun with friends and family. When you do, push the LSAT as far out of your mind as you can.

Donny Hathaway’s “This Christmas” talks about “how much fun it’s going to be together this Christmas,” and about how “this Christmas will be a very special Christmas for me.” You should strive for the same. Give yourself Christmas day off. Spend it with whoever is important to you. A day off will refocus your energy for the stretch run of LSAT prep that’s coming up.

As for what to study, keep it appropriate to where you are with the LSAT. Don’t fill your week with timed LSAT practice tests unless you’re far enough along in your studies. If you’re still in the process of covering new material, focus on reviewing and refining what you’ve already done, and on keeping up your progress. Strive for mastery before you go for speed. The mastery will help with the speed, too.

“What are you Doing New Year’s Eve?” That’s a question for the next week.