Don’t get me wrong, I love Christmas. Finding the perfect gift and watching a loved one’s eyes light up with thankfulness, catching up with people you haven’t seen in, sometimes, a whole year and also all of the delicious food.
But the holiday season doesn’t feel different anymore.
As a kid I remember waiting anxiously for the first snowfall of the season. I learned to play Christmas carols on my recorder.
I got almost zero sleep on Christmas Eve. I made up songs about it being the day before Christmas Eve. All of the holiday season things heated up under my skin until I was bubbling with joy.
What happened to that?
I wouldn’t say I have no Christmas Spirit. I get involved with the community and donate to charities. I packed two shoeboxes this year, one for a child in poverty overseas and one for a woman in poverty here in Campbell River. I make sure to take a moment every so often and be thankful for what I have.
But the magic isn’t as present as it used to be. Sometimes it sparks, like when the Campbell River Singers sang Silent Night at the Museum on Saturday afternoon or when I toured through the Festival of Trees, or when it snowed for the first time a few days ago. But those moments are fleeting, whereas they used to last from the beginning of November until back to school in January.
My mom told me a few years ago, that adults go through a Christmas magic lul, and find it again when they have kids. But I don’t think that is true. I have a friend in Calgary who adores Christmas, and I think that Christmas magic is still there for her.
But everyone is different.
Maybe it is because I am more aware of how much consumerism has taken over what used to be a time for family and charity.
Or maybe I should suck it up and splurge on some Christmas decorations and that would help. It could be because living alone at this time of year is harder than almost any other time.
I don’t really know. But I will hold on to those brief magical moments, because a little bit of magic is better than none at all.
So thank you to everyone who helps contribute to the Christmas magic.
It isn’t lost on me and I appreciate the effort even more than I did when I was young.
