December is almost here, and while many people start celebrating Christmas as soon as Halloween ends, I think that December first is the true beginning of the holiday season. Christmas is my favourite holiday and therefore, my most anticipated time of the year, yet why has it not felt like Christmas in recent years?
There have been a few recent Christmases where that Christmas yuletide feeling hasn’t hit me until December 24th. The whole start of the winter just felt too busy and simply too mundane for it to feel like Christmas. A part of that is probably the loss of magic from when I was young. But considering that the magic of Christmas started to fade out earlier than just the recent years for me, I wouldn’t say that this is the biggest cause.
What I think it comes down to is nostalgia. By that, I mean that because we have such good memories associated with Christmas (all the excitement, opening presents, fun activities, and spending time with family), our expectations are set extremely high and thus, we end up feeling let down. There are a multitude of reasons that explain why we aren’t swept up in the holiday magic; as we grow older, we are more aware of other things going on in our lives that fuel stress and make life feel busy.
I have noticed that it also depends on the environment. Because, the winter break is just three weeks long, each time that we travel back home for the break we pack a lot into the short duration. Other than focusing on Christmas and visiting family, we rush to appointments and take care of all the errands that we pile up for the two times a year that we go home.
Similarly, it is always disappointing to see the Christmas tree lit up with lights, decorated with baubles, and presents under the tree with a very obvious lack of snow outside. Snowing simply adds so much to the cosy Christmas vibe that without it, the holidays feel different. With climate change having escalated to the point it is at now, this issue will likely never go away either.
Though I feel like Christmas won’t ever be the same, there is still something worthy to celebrate. I can appreciate the family aspect of the holiday a lot more now, and I am thankful to be able to go back home each year to visit my extended family during the vacation. Christmas baking, ice skating, and decorating the tree are all perfectly good ways to spend some quality time with those we love. And while I’m sure that I won’t feel ‘Christmassy’ for all of the upcoming December, there are still ways I can ignite the nostalgic feelings that I cherish so much. So, Michael Buble will be on for sure, and I am excited to start decorating the house and reading Christmas novels to make it feel a little bit like Christmas at least.
My best advice is: go relive those memories to spark the Christmas spirit, but more importantly, try not to limit Christmas to your expectations. Obviously, Christmas won’t be the same as when we were children and acknowledging that may just be the root of preventing disappointment.
