Have we lost the true meaning of Christmas? I think we can all agree that as we get older, Christmas isn't exactly the same as it used to be. Although I am not as religious as I would like to be, I know that Christmas is meant to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, however, society today has commercialized this special holiday and unfortunately, we have all fallen for the trap.
As a child, I have a much more vivid image of Christmas then I do today. From writing my letter to Santa Claus to playing in the snow to even making peanut butter balls with my grandma, Christmas was always much better when I was younger. Now, one might argue that these things still don't capture the true meaning of Christmas, but I would have to disagree. Don't get me wrong -- even as a child, I was ready to dig into my presents to see what I got but I was never disappointed if I didn't get something that I wanted. I was happy with what I received and I was grateful for the time that I got to spend with my family since my stepfather worked shift work and my mom was a pediatric nurse. The feeling of warmth and love that I felt from my family during the Christmas holidays is something that I always looked forward to. It was a time for all of us to bond and celebrate together.
Although I still spend time with my family over the Christmas break, going to church and keeping up the tradition for breakfast for dinner on Christmas Eve, I find that it is harder to get in the Christmas spirit. Due to extensive shopping lists and schoolwork, there is no time to sit down and enjoy time with family. All of my fellow Winter Term attendees are probably with me on this since it's even harder to get into the spirit if you don't even get home for Winter Break until December 19. When you finally get home you can only think of how much time you have to get gifts, wrap them, and still have time to do winter assignments. Between school and shopping, society has done a great job at sucking the life out of Christmas, but is hope really lost for us? I don't think so.
This Christmas, I vow to do something different. I vow to be truly happy for the holidays. I will watch all of the Christmas movies I wish (Harry Potter Weekend counts), drink my perfectly basic peppermint mocha hot chocolate, get in touch with family and friends I haven't spoken to in a while, listen to Michael Bublé's Christmas album, and most importantly, go to church to remember the real reason we celebrate this time of year. I'm not saying that these are foolproof ways to get your Christmas spirit back, but I know that these things are a big step in restoring the spirit that was lost over the years.
