I know of few things in life so divisive, contrary, and challenging as dealing with the holiday season—many hard feelings, heavy attachments, and challenging things to “enjoy” the celebration.  Like letting the air slowly out of a balloon, my holiday spirit has diminished a tiny bit; year after year until now, it is just a dim memory of the soul who loved Christmas and all it was about. Of course, I was young then, full of idealism, and had the joy in my heart of receiving and giving.  Where has it gone? Will it ever return, or is it gone forever? I am seeking my Christmas Spirit and searching for these answers. Of course, I know that the answer lies inside of me. Here are a few things I think Christmas could use more of.

1. More Childhood Magic

Christmas is for children in so many ways. The lore of Santa Claus and gifts being left under a tree at night are all magical and sing in concert quite easily in children’s minds. I spent many a December night in my youth trying to figure out the best way to assist Santa on his journey and was convinced on several occasions that I just missed him on Christmas Eve.  But sleep inevitably won.  My parents did their best to provide my siblings and me a magical Christmas time and always managed to use the Sears “wish book” to their advantage. It was quite a process to order things and deliver them to the rural northern town.  But they did it, and along with an extended family of aunts, uncles, grandparents, and great grandparents, we always had more than enough under our tree on December 25th.

Our traditions were simple and followed always. We always hung our stockings which were green with our names at the top. My grandmother knitted them, and mine had an image of Santa on it.  It would be the first thing we were allowed to empty, and it was always full of goodies, candy, toys, and at the bottom, of course, was an orange. No idea why, but there it was year after year. Kind of a misplaced healthy thing amongst all the sweet and unhealthy mess in that tradition.  That one lived on long into adulthood.  Then there were the presents we opened one at a time, and I was always grateful to get gifts and loved playing with the toys and wearing the clothes that made Christmas special. But it was the minutia around the holiday that was just as exciting for me.

2. More Christmas Concerts

Each year our class at school would perform a song or two in the Christmas Concert at the school auditorium. I might have missed my calling because I remember how much I loved to be in front of an audience. It was fun, exciting and I loved the attention.  There were few pictures of these noteworthy performances, but in my mind, they were epic and each year got better and better. One of the biggest disappointments was the year I missed the concert due to chickenpox.  I was going to be Linus.  A great acting career, shot down by a childhood infection.

But I carried on, and year after year, the concert was a harbinger of the season and made me feel like it was Christmas. Today, I think we could do well to have more Christmas concerts for adults where we would get the opportunity to perform and get into the spirit again. But of course, we are all too busy to be bothered by such nonsense, with so many profound things to do and bad things to focus on in the world. But maybe if I and we could connect to that spirit for just a short time, the Christmas season would cease to be such a depressing exchange of money.

3. More Christmas Ghosts Might Help

Another of my favorite things about Christmas was all of the traditional shows surrounding the Christmas season.  From Charlie Brown to Frosty the Snowman, we were all planted in front of the television to see the animation or claymation tell us the stories we knew so well.  There are few stories I enjoy more than a Christmas Carol. It involves a man being haunted by ghosts. What could be more fun than that? It also tells the tale of redemption and the ability of someone who has lost the Christmas Spirit to find it again.

I have felt more like Scrooge as the years have gone along. I feel tired with the whole process, and I wonder what is it all about? I can see the good in people and the negatives in the world. Then in my own life, I always feel like I should know more at this point than I do. But I don’t, which somehow makes the whole season seem lonely. But there is no reason to wallow in misery or loneliness, and it will do little good and only leads to regret many of the choices I have made in the past.  Like Scrooge, it is time to live life today on Christmas morning.

4. More Joyful Spirit

Look at the world inside of yourself, the one only you have access to, and see how much happiness and joy is the focus in there. Or, like most, is the focus on worry, fear, anger, loss, and many other negative emotions which are going to affect your life negatively.  At Christmas time, like all others throughout the year, we choose where our focus goes. Does it go to an appreciation for what we have? Or does it move toward worrying about the things we don’t have?  This contrast is highlighted at Christmas time.

You are the one who decides for you how much joy you experience at Christmas. It is a simple choice to allow more into your heart and life. Each moment provides an opportunity to grow, share and be happy, and at particular times of the year, the option is magnified. More holiday spirit can make your life better and more interesting in all you do. Of course, this is up to you.

More Merry Christmas

Spend some time today, on this Christmas, remembering the magic of Christmas days gone by. Look for that child within you and remember that at some point, they had joy in their heart on this day, and you can touch that with your mind right now and remember it. Whatever activities and traditions surrounding the magic, keep them close, and remember there are things you can do today, right now, that are brand new but may become a tradition for you in the future.  Also, there are ghosts on every holiday. Remember those who you loved who have left this life. I have lost special people, and my life was much richer because of them. Remembering them and their extraordinary gifts to the world is your gift to them today.

And finally, be joyful today, even if it is difficult. To experience joy comes from the inside and is always a choice. The choice of pleasure will allow you to contribute more to others and to enjoy the ride of life a lot more.  Life is either a fantastic ride or a depressing chore, and you are the one who decides for you. So make a good choice and have the merriest of Christmas today!!

“We are better throughout the year for having, in spirit, become a child again at Christmastime.”

“He who has not Christmas in his heart will never find it under a tree.” ―Roy L. Smith

“My idea of Christmas, whether old-fashioned or modern, is very simple: loving others.” ―Bob Hope

“Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold, everything is softer and more beautiful.” ―Norman Vincent Peale

“At Christmas, all roads lead home.” ―Marjorie Holmes