Ghosts of Christmas Past
Christmas is once again upon us. As Thanksgiving wrapped and decorations arrived, I realized how much this holiday has changed for me. Part of it’s from COVID, part of it’s from growing up. This year, I wanted to take some time to look back on holiday traditions I had as a kid, ones that I haven’t engaged in over the last few years. Who knows? Maybe you all can reignite them.
Christmas Plays
COVID really did a number on this one. Dozens of venues put on Christmas plays throughout December. My old church performed a Christianized version of Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol. I liked this play because it gave a better explanation for Scrooge’s sudden change of heart. Incidentally, I got to play Tiny Tim the year I was in 2nd grade. My sobbing was somehow able to convince my then-toddler sister that I really did get hurt (Mom had to bring her backstage to prove that I was okay).
Once COVID hit, we couldn’t have people in close proximity, which is hard to do for stage performances. The 2020 play got canceled, and it hasn’t come back since.
We’ve only recently gotten the Dickens Fair back, which is a theater performance in its own right. These plays are a great way for families to bond. If a local church, school, or theater is putting one on, you should definitely go and attend.
Candlelight Service
To be fair, these are still a thing. At the risk of painting myself as a pyromaniac, the part I miss most about candlelight services is the literal candlelight. Due to fire safety regulations, regular candles were put away and eventually replaced with electronic candles.
As a child, I found the candle flame mesmerizing. In a dark chapel, all the lights looked warm and enchanting. Once I was old enough to hold a candle of my own, it felt as though I had completed a rite of passage. It made that Christmas gathering all the more beautiful. The electronic candles…just aren’t the same.
I’m sure there’s a way we could host a candlelight gathering that complies with the fire department. A good start would be “not inside an old, flammable building.”
The Christmas Lights Game
This was a game I played with my siblings for years. The rules were simple:
-Each player is assigned a single car window. They can only look out that particular window.
-Players count how many houses they see decorated with Christmas lights
---Lights must be lit
---Apartments count as one point per apartment, not per building
-Whoever has the highest count by the time the car engine turns off wins
While simple, it let us enjoy all the Christmas decorations while engaging in our competitive natures. Our grandmother lived two hours away from us. Whenever we drove to and from her house during December, this game would keep us occupied for the entire drive. It brought us together and gave our parents a peaceful time in the car.
The year I realized that my brother and sister would no longer play that game with me hurt. A lot. It became a clear indicator that we had grown up, and I hated that.
My devastated inner child aside, I still recommend this game for you and your kids. It’s easy to learn, and helps children develop their counting and observational skills.
Christmas Joy
After talking about candles and Christmas lights, we can all agree that this editorial has suddenly gotten…dark…
Let me explain.
It’s not so much that I’ve lost the joy of Christmas time. It’d be easier to say that the dynamic has changed. December holds a different sort of joy for me.
As a child, my focus would solely be on the presents I received. Will I get the toy I really want? Is Christmas dinner going to be good this year? Did Oma buy me socks again? It was all very self-centered and self-serving. I wasn’t the only one. Everyone was going on about getting and giving gifts.
Now that I’m an adult, I’ve noticed one of the stressors my parents dealt with: costs adding up. This has been extra noticeable this year, since I’m paying extra for holiday advertising (tap here to see which books I’m talking about!). With a growing family and multiple party invitations, keeping track of how many gifts I need to buy is exhausting. This has become a conundrum for me. While “gifts” may not be one of my love languages, it is one of the ways I express it to others.
I’ve had to take a step and reevaluate this holiday. Last year, I did a November article about contentment. Right now, we’re dealing with massive consumerism. I’m not saying that gift exchanges are bad, but when it gets to the point where you’re suffering emotionally or financially, it’s not worth it. You are not worth less if you cannot buy pricey gifts. The people who truly matter will understand that, sometimes, the best present you can give for now is your presence. Christmas is a time for family, reflection and gratitude.
So…if I don’t find joy in gifts, where does my Christmas joy come from now? What’s my new focus?
For that, I’m going to let Linus do the talking. Take it away, buddy.