The holiday spirit and the timeless wonder

The best Christmas tree ever. I remember that particular Christmas like it was yesterday. It wasn’t yesterday. In fact, it was several/many years ago. The exact number isn’t terribly important. However, it was a Christmas that stands out in memory. It had every single element of magic the holiday inspires. Furthermore, the holiday spirit was so common, even a kid would notice.

It was anticipation. So much anticipation for the big day. It started in October for most kids. Of course Halloween is always a fun day to anticipate. But it’s not Thanksgiving. Just kidding. Everyone knows Thanksgiving is a great holiday. However, it’s got nothing on Christmas day. The big day was Christmas day, and the anticipation for it began in October. Or September, for the really serious holiday spirit enthusiasts.

It was a very special season and it was country wide back then. It was and is, tradition, and therefore much more than commercialism. Did everyone celebrate it? Probably not. However, they didn’t go around decrying it either. Furthermore, for some, it is a spiritual time of year as well. The holiday spirit has a deeper meaning for anyone who believes in the spiritual nature of Christmas day. But for the little ones it’s all about magic.

The Holiday Spirit

It’s all about the magic of the season. Or, once upon a time, it was. Having been there, and now here, it’s easy to see some differences. It’s still a season with much more significance than commercialism. Furthermore, it is still about the holiday spirit. Things have changed over the years but the tradition is mostly intact. Even when under attack.

Yet the memory of that time, and the special Christmas tree, is the underlying testament to the magic of the season. Did I believe in Santa Claus? Of course. Back then, just about every kid did. In fact, we tried to stay up all night on Christmas Eve. The point was to catch Santa in the act of being Santa Claus. We were kids, and didn’t think about what we would actually do, if we found Santa. Perhaps it would have meant a permanent place on the naughty list.

That could have been a disaster. After months of trying to get on the ‘nice‘ list, we were risking it all by refusing to sleep, on the night just before the big day. Furthermore, it was an attempt to find out how Santa could do the things he was supposedly able to do. For example, come down the chimney with a huge sack of toys. We all heard the stories and there was empirical evidence from the past. But, seeing it first hand, would prove everything.

The Timeless Wonder

Could that be the essence of the holiday spirit? When I was grown, and had children of my own, the holiday season took on a whole new dimension. Suddenly it was paramount that the tradition of Santa Claus be maintained. After all, it’s the parents that teach their little ones about the matters of the heart. Additionally, it’s the parents that are responsible for their little ones. And the quality of the holiday spirit is learned from the parents.

Ideally, children experience the magic of Christmas through their parents and loved ones. That’s how the memories are made. And that is the essence of the holiday spirit. The memory of the magic. And the magic of love, and of giving. Thanks for reading.

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