Is anyone having a hard time finding the Christmas spirit as they get older? I know I am, and it makes me really sad.
Since my family celebrates Christmas, we have always celebrated it to its full extent. Going to see Santa Clause and sitting on his lap, going Christmas shopping in person, writing a letter to Santa, putting cookies out for him, going to a Christmas Eve church service, etc.
I miss being excited about it all. I remember the excitement of coming home on the school bus to start Christmas break, and I remember trying to be on my best behavior so Santa would come to give me toys. I miss getting Barbies and Polly Pockets and American Girl dolls. I just miss being so innocent.
As I’ve been getting older, the whole meaning of Christmas has changed for me, but I’m having a hard time figuring out what it means exactly.
Now, I feel like the holiday moves so fast and there’s no time to celebrate it because of school and going to work. Then, Christmas Day comes. I open my gifts, have Christmas dinner, spend some time with family and that’s it.
That may sound selfish because some people might not have that, so I know I should be thankful, and I am thankful.
It’s just hard when the magic of Christmas is gone. We’re all adults with a lot of credit card debt from buying gifts and we’re probably sick of some of our family members. I miss being the kid sitting in front of the Christmas tree.
However, I think this feeling is normal. I have heard a lot of people our age say that Christmas doesn’t feel like Christmas anymore, and I see a lot of Tik Tok videos that show people crying while listening to Christmas music.
It’s okay to mourn our past selves. We have changed so much since being little, and sometimes it’s weird thinking about who we have molded into.
Being an adult is weird. When you’re a kid, all you really have to worry about is going to school and maybe coming home to take a nap. There’s also choosing which snack to eat and which T.V. show to watch. What a life. I wish I could go back to this.
I’m kind of excited to have kids one day because I’ll get to see what Christmas looks like through their eyes, and I’ll have the chance to give them the kind of magical Christmas that I had growing up. In a way, I feel like I’m healing my inner child.
If you feel like this around the holidays, just know you’re not alone. If you’re experiencing the loss of a family member or loved one, sickness, not being able to see a military member, being sad because of a loss of holiday cheer, etc., I’m here for you.
Please try to take care of yourself during this time. Even if you’re just trying to make it through the holidays, they’ll be over soon.
If you’re looking for ways to try and make it feel like Christmas time, try to look up Christmas bucket lists on Pinterest or Tik Tok to get some ideas on what you can do.
Happy holidays everybody. Stay safe out there.