Christmas morning as a kid. You wake up before the sun rises, something you only do once or twice a year. Quietly, you sneak out to peak at the tree, confirming Santa had indeed come the night before. You run to wake up your parents, jumping on the bed until they grudgingly slump out of bed. When you finally sit down to open presents, you and your siblings tear into them one after another, paper flying in a glorious holiday typhoon. You’re done quickly, and soon realize you don’t even remember what all you received. Soon you and your sibling argue over what belongs to who, and none of you really remember.
In a consumer society where Christmas is all about gifts and Santa, kids (and some adults) can’t seem to control the tendency to tear through the day, gifts and traditions that had taken weeks to prepare being spent through in seconds, and unrecalled in the end. When I was young, this is what my Christmas morning looked like. It wasn’t until I was in high school that my family implemented a new Christmas tradition. I dare you to try to slow down and try the same.
Christmas morning, set some boundaries. Tell the kids they may only wake you up after a certain time. Keep it early, you want to be fair, but perhaps not in the hours many would still consider night. Once up, let everyone open one thing. We do stockings. After that, brew up some strong coffee and eat some breakfast. The wait might drive some kids crazy, but patience is a taught virtue.
Once breakfast is done, return to the presents. Instead of ripping through all of them at once assign a little helper elf (probably one among the youngest and most agitated) to pick one present out from under the tree and take it to its recipient.
One at a time, open a present.
Not only does this allow the recipient to really take in the gift they’ve been given, but also for the gifter to enjoy the reaction of the opening of the present. Thank you’s can be exchanged, and appreciation with be instilled.
This may sound boring to some. I know many parents who believe that Christmas is the one day that a kid should be allowed to go crazy. But, I promise you if you slow down and savor this Christmas, it will be one to remember. Stop letting the season rush by in a blur, and start truly enjoying the day together as a family. Learn to recognize, appreciate, and show gratitude for gifts. Just because it is a gift-giving holiday does not mean anyone owes you presents. Everything is given with intention and care, I believe that you have to slow down a little bit in order to fully recognize and understand that.
This season I dare you to start a new tradition, one that will bring your family closer and make your Christmas’s more memorable.