Christmas. What a powerful word! At a mere utterance of this magical cluster of letters a varied reaction of emotion comes flooding to any western listener. It is truly amusing to observe the reaction of those at different stages of life. The ardent desperation of a child begging Santa to grant them this one (if only) request. The desperation of a dedicated parent determined to guarantee that this northern gift bearer’s promises will indeed come to fruition. So here I sit, a twenty something husband with a little girl almost here and I wonder; what has Christmas meant to me? What emotions stir the rafters of my most inner couscous as I reminisce on those cold December nights of yesteryear.
I find myself perplexed as I transition from gift receiver to gift giver. From sitting on Santa’s lap to becoming his go to player. Christmas meant a great deal to me as a child, as the middle of seven children I had a unique opportunity that many others did not. Being evenly spaced from top to bottom I had the advantage to ‘utilize’ the gifts given to other siblings (utilize meaning claim as my own). I never had to ask for much, perhaps something to enhance the entertainment of another’s gift as I was to soon inherit a present when an older sibling left the nest or simply “Veni Vini Vici!” Come, See and Conquer! After all what could they do? I was bigger. The solutions I created to my Christmas dilemmas as a child now terrify me as an adult. Could my children be as devious and conniving as I was? The law of Karma would provide an unsatisfying answer. However I do not believe presents (or the conquest of them) made the Yuletide memorable for me. After all, who of us hasn’t been warped through memory lane to Grandma’s kitchen on Christmas eve by the mere smell of cinnamon or spices while walking the isles of the grocery store? I can scarcely walk the toy isles without a fond memory of one of my once devious plans of sibling present domination consuming my mind. Yet before I turn my lips upward into a Grinch like smirk I recall what always make this season so special for me.
What made Christmas perfect wasn’t my ability to manipulate or coerce myself into present nirvana, or baking soul enriching desserts with my Grandmother (as gratifying as they were). No, there was always something deeper, hidden among the trimmings of the holiday. Though I may not have been able to full appreciate it as a child I always felt its influence and inspiration in one way or another and now as an adult I can finally unmask it. For me, It was being surrounded my family and sharing in those rich feelings of togetherness, generosity, and love. This year think back to what made it special for you and as you watch your children maybe you’ll see a little of that in them. With a little luck you just may.