It’s that time of year again—the time of year we all look forward to every day since December 26. We helplessly get sucked in by that familiar chill in the air, reminding us of the special day right around the corner. The twinkling lights and decorations everywhere stir a feeling inside that cannot be ignored. The thought of waking up to find beautifully wrapped gifts under the glowing tree keeps us counting down the days. There’s a certain magic about the Christmas season that gives it the ability to entice even the most cynical Scrooge.
It’s easy to get wrapped up (pun so intended) in the aesthetic and material parts of Christmas. With all the glitz and glam, it’s hard not to. From a personal perspective, I love being swept up by Christmas cheer. But what many people fail to see about the holiday season is one of the most important things of all: Family.
Since I was a little kid, one of my favorite things about Christmastime has been the fact that I get to see my family. Not only is it a day dedicated to celebration with gift giving and receiving, but you get to spend an entire day goofing off with your whole family. Relatives that you don’t get to see on a daily basis, along with relatives you rarely see, finally all come together this one day each year. Everyone sits surrounded by tinsel and holly, overjoyed with holiday cheer as they catch up on everything the other has missed since the last time they saw each other. Stories are told, jokes cause the entire dinner table to erupt in laughter, and incredible memories are made.
Everyone loves to joke about family during the holidays. Endless, invasive questions could keep any normal person on edge during a regular holiday dinner. The anticipation of hearing unwanted questions such as, “How is school?” and “Do you have a boyfriend yet?” can certainly make you crazy. But what are the holidays without it? That is what your family is there for.
Your family is there to create those awkward moments that make you laugh in remembrance a couple of days later. They’re there to ask you about your life because you haven’t seen them in weeks, or maybe even months. They ask because they care and want to know more about how you have been. Who wouldn’t want that?
As I get older, I find myself appreciating this time of year even more than I did when I was little. Christmas is a breathtaking fantasy when you’re a kid—the unbelievable magic of Santa and the North Pole gives kids dreams for years.
People like to say that the fascination and glamour of it all goes away when you grow up, but I disagree. Now that I’m older and leading a hectic, busy life, I look forward to this holiday for what it is. I see the season as the time to get back in touch with my roots. I get to come home and spend time with the people who watched me grow up and have loved me since my first breath. I get to sit across from my grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins and find out how their year has been. I get to inform them of everything new going on in my life. I get to bask in the joy that is the holiday season with the people I love most in the world.
The material things do assist in making Christmas what it is. I don’t think the holiday would be the same without the lights and presents. What is a shame is that when people grow older, they tend to lose the fascination in the material things. When you are no longer a toddler on Christmas morning, you forget what truly matters. When the magic threatens to disappear, don’t let it. Find magic in different things. Find the magic in your family because they are what really makes Christmas the most special day of the year. They are what make it a day to be remembered and a day to look forward to all year long.
This Christmas, don’t lose sight of the real present: Having a family.
