T’was the night before Christmas and all through the house, none of the children were stirring, not even the mouse. The parents snuck down with twenty presents or so, because if Johnny didn’t get his ipad the top of the house just might blow. Jenny got her ipod as well, last year she screamed so loud that the tree nearly fell. All the parents relaxed as the presents lay under the tree, and split a glass of bourbon (or two, or three). For the Christmas they knew long ago was merely a white dream, filled with eggnog and snow…
Wait. Backup… this isn’t right.
When did Christmas become the time of year to dutifully provide kids with every unreasonable gift they’ve ever wanted? How did Christmas transform from a week you eagerly awaited, to a week when you “just want to get through”?
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It’s time we all take a big swig of eggnog and an even bigger step back.
I’ve always viewed any religious holiday as a time to be thankful and gracious for those around me, but I can’t shake the feeling that we’ve lost something along the way. Christmas seems to be another stream of lights on Fifth Avenue in New York instead of watching Charlie Brown’s Christmas special on the couch with your family.
Though we may believe different things all beliefs share a common theme: the importance of kindness and compassion. As I look around me, I see family members consumed with their toys, technology, and other excessive possessions. I see less and less of the kindness and compassion that I feel the holiday spirit is all about, and it got me thinking- what if we put away our phones or computers for the afternoon? You might not know how to function without reading the latest clump of Buzzfeed posts, but a step outside your daily routine allows room for introspection. It’s a chance to rediscover the spirit of the holidays.
Be kinder to your siblings, even though their level of annoyance might surpass how much you’ve missed them. Chat with an older relative instead of holing up in your room to watch seven consecutive episodes of “Breaking Bad”. Lend a hand to your parents with cooking or wrapping presents, because you know words can’t describe how much they’ve missed you this past semester.
You can feel the spirit of the holidays by watching any number of Christmas movies, but you honestly don’t need to look further than your own home. No matter your religious affiliation, the holidays are about about family, joy and creating memories that you’ll one day tell to your children. It’s a time to reconnect and appreciate the things we often neglect; the little things in life that often mean the most.
This is what Christmas is all about, finding magic in the ordinary pieces that make up the puzzle of our lives.
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