Adult life is fun and all but you'd be lying if you said you didn't miss the innocence of childhood. Not having any responsibilities, no job, no bills, not a care in the world. As a kid, we're in a rush to get older, then when that time flies by, we are suddenly adults wishing to be forever young. The thought can be frightening but we must embrace the circle of life and reflect on our childhood as a feeling of comfort. The holidays seem to hold some of the most memorable moments as a child because of the consistent time spent around family members and loved ones who have shaped our adult lives we live today. We remember our childhood as the good ol' days and within those memories we can forever find solace.
A few things we miss most about being a kid during the holidays:
1. Sitting at the kiddie table at Thanksgiving
Who doesn’t miss that? Now we’re a part of the adult table and maybe there are new children at the kid’s table. It’s crazy to think about how fast it goes by. One minute, you, your siblings and cousins are all running around like crazy little kids, then the next minute—the next generation appears and the cycle continues. It’s crazy to think about.
2. Receiving presents instead of giving them
I mean don’t get me wrong, it’s fun to give gifts to special people in your life and it feels rewarding to make them happy, but the overwhelming pressure and stress of holiday shopping can ruin that. Life was so much easier when we jumped out of bed on Christmas morning to run and see what Santa got us.
3. Sneaking alcohol as a teenager at holiday events is more fun
Now that we’re all old and washed up and old enough to drink, it’s just not as fun as it used to be. It was better when “the cool aunt” would sneak you a sip of her drink at dinner. Nowadays, we start drinking at noon and then by 4 p.m. we already need a power nap where we wake up hungover. Snooooze.
4. Going to holiday parties with family vs. planning them
The day doesn’t feel as rushed or as stressful when you’re a little kid coming to the family party with your parents. You get to spend time with your cousins, aunts, uncles, grandparents—everyone. When you’re older, it’s so much harder when you’re the one organizing the party and scrambling to get everyone together in the same house, along with planning, cooking, cleaning, buying, etc., there’s always some type of drama and it's never goes perfectly smooth. The most drama we had as a kid was when someone wouldn’t share their new toy with us.
5. Fights between you and your family weren't as serious
Arguing as kids is way different than arguing as adults. As kids, we yell, scream, hit each other, then make up and forgive each other a few hours later while laughing about it. As adults, people take things way more personally and arguments can sometimes be destructive, even tearing some families apart. Things were just so much easier when the stress of life didn't interfere with our personal feelings.
Wouldn't it be nice to go back to those childhood days when we didn't have a care in the world? Life would be so much easier.