Holiday Spirit
As I look back on my almost-30 years of Christmases, I have started to realize that things change as we age. Why that is, I'm not completely certain; however, I thought you might have some ideas to share with me (and our readers)...
As a child, my brother and I 'caught Santa' every year. Seriously! Mom and Dad would wake us (after jingling a few bells and tapping on the hallway walls to imitate reindeer landing on our roof). We'd sneak downstairs to the living room and see Santa sleeping on our couch. He'd already eaten at least one cookie that we left next to the fireplace, and he had two gifts ready to give one to each of us to open early. It was a fantastic and fun tradition that I am so grateful my parents coordinated annually for Scott A and me. Although, it was a little odd to run into 'Santa' 20 years later and not know who he really was... hmmm...
Then, in high school, we would still exchange just one gift on Christmas Eve. We would also go to our church service, which has continually grown less engaging and purposeful, if you ask me. I actually have a difficult time forcing myself to go sometimes because the spirit is 'just lacking' compared to what I remember from my childhood. Anyway, we would drive through local neighborhoods to admire the many displays of Christian and secular holiday spirit. There were a lot of wonderful traditions that I miss very much, yet those memories will stay with me forever.
While I was in college, visiting home over semester break was always so great. Getting to see family and friends, whom I would miss so much while away at school. Some traditions from my childhood remained, but I happened to notice that stores began selling Christmas decorations and supplies much earlier in the year. Commercials were starting to focus on the season - and not the reason for Christmas. Decorations were less religious and more secular.
Now, as an adult, I hear holiday music in the stores before Thanksgiving... um, who decided to rearrange the order of calendar holidays?!?! I see Christmas decorations on sale around Halloween! I am all for the holiday season, but the commercialization of things has seemingly taken over the true meaning of Christmas. For those who celebrate Christmas for what it truly is, I wonder if they sense the same changes that I do. For those who just enjoy the gift giving and getting of the season, and aren't celebrating the Christian purpose of Christmas, I'd presume my observations aren't as meaningful.
Regardless, have you noticed these changes, also, or am I just getting the Grinch syndrome?
As a child, my brother and I 'caught Santa' every year. Seriously! Mom and Dad would wake us (after jingling a few bells and tapping on the hallway walls to imitate reindeer landing on our roof). We'd sneak downstairs to the living room and see Santa sleeping on our couch. He'd already eaten at least one cookie that we left next to the fireplace, and he had two gifts ready to give one to each of us to open early. It was a fantastic and fun tradition that I am so grateful my parents coordinated annually for Scott A and me. Although, it was a little odd to run into 'Santa' 20 years later and not know who he really was... hmmm...
Then, in high school, we would still exchange just one gift on Christmas Eve. We would also go to our church service, which has continually grown less engaging and purposeful, if you ask me. I actually have a difficult time forcing myself to go sometimes because the spirit is 'just lacking' compared to what I remember from my childhood. Anyway, we would drive through local neighborhoods to admire the many displays of Christian and secular holiday spirit. There were a lot of wonderful traditions that I miss very much, yet those memories will stay with me forever.
While I was in college, visiting home over semester break was always so great. Getting to see family and friends, whom I would miss so much while away at school. Some traditions from my childhood remained, but I happened to notice that stores began selling Christmas decorations and supplies much earlier in the year. Commercials were starting to focus on the season - and not the reason for Christmas. Decorations were less religious and more secular.
Now, as an adult, I hear holiday music in the stores before Thanksgiving... um, who decided to rearrange the order of calendar holidays?!?! I see Christmas decorations on sale around Halloween! I am all for the holiday season, but the commercialization of things has seemingly taken over the true meaning of Christmas. For those who celebrate Christmas for what it truly is, I wonder if they sense the same changes that I do. For those who just enjoy the gift giving and getting of the season, and aren't celebrating the Christian purpose of Christmas, I'd presume my observations aren't as meaningful.
Regardless, have you noticed these changes, also, or am I just getting the Grinch syndrome?
Comments
I agree as to the commercialization of Christmas - and it seems to get worse each year. Granted - each year i want to put more and more crap out on my house, but that is because it is fun to decorate.
This year I actually find myself changing channels for a different reason - not just because I am compulsive, but because the commercials are such a pain in the ass I have too.
I feel like you have to have your own traditions - which we are starting this year as well. We feel bad this year as well because we can't afford to give people what we want too - and we would LOVE to give more we just can't this year.
It seems as though the world (conglomerates as it be) has moved on to a much more secular vision of Christmas, although it is all about the "Holiday Season" even though some absurd amount of people are Christian.
I really hope we can find a Santa to continue the tradition, if only Grandpa were still around and had a beard...
Grinch or not - Bah Humbug to most of the holiday crap - give me music, a tree, lights, eggnog, and my family and I am a happy camper.
When we were younger, Christmas had a magic to it. I know it seems to have become more commercialized but I really think that our parents probably felt the same way when we were growing up. It is really what WE do which defines what Christmas means to us.
Maybe it wasn't as bad but I think as you grow older you see how commercial it has become. I think the truer (I don't know if that is a word) point is that it is what YOU do among the commercialism that makes the holiday special. It's about us as adults putting the magic into Christmas whee our parent's left off.
There is a great program called Operation Santa Claus where they take letters written to Santa and they identify really needy children. Such as a little girl who asks nothing for herself but a pair of shoes for her brother because his feet are always cold in the winter because his only pair has a hole in them or for Santa to pay the electric so they can have heat etc. Many local post offices have this type of program. Then you can go in and select a letter or two or ten and grant some of the holiday wishes. This is a sure way to put back the magic in the holiday season.
It is the traditions and memories that really make the season special. As adults we need to keep the magic of the season alive within ourselves. We live in a world that is indeed very materialistic but we also live in a country where you can choose they time of life you want to live among the materialism. Generosity is still alive and well and if it isn't so easy to find it's because the quiet and humble generosity is that which makes the most difference. And if you cannot find the generosity in your world, then the question turn into what are you doing to offer yourself to others which might inspire them to give of themselves.
So in conclusion since I babbled a lot...when we were younger, the holiday season magic was created for us by our family and our traditions. As we are older we have to keep the magic alive and create it for our children and those around us. Once you discover the magic of the true meaning of Christmas lies within you, you need not worry about the commercialism because YOU hold the true meeting for yourself and those around you.
No more Grinch!