The Magic of Christmas

I often wonder what happened to the magic of Christmas at this time of year. When I was a child, Christmas was more than a holiday, more than a meal with multiple families. I don't know how old I was when the surprise element left the holiday, in fact I am not sure it ever did as far as how the "magic" happened. I never thought about, or tried to figure out, how the presents got there, how the food all appeared, how the stockings were filled, how everything got paid for, or how I always managed to get what I wanted plus, what I didn't even know I wanted. My point is that the magic of Christmas was my ignorance I guess you could say. I wish I could say the same for my children.

I have tried to continue the traditions from my childhood, with a few adjustments for our family, and it worked for awhile. We continue to attend candlelight service, although the powers that be have made adjustments to the services to "modernize" things. We continue to go to Grandma's house after services to eat the same traditional meal of tamales and spaghetti (don't have any idea where that combo came from), although Grandpa is no longer there pouring drinks or "pestering" everyone until Grandma yells from the kitchen for him to stop. The family is still there but everything seems rushed and cramped now, due to great grand kids and having to fit in the meal and presents before anyone has to leave for work or to get home. We still have our "family" Christmas, Christmas morning before we have to rush off to yet another event with the other side of the family. Get ready, get loaded, get there, get done, get home, get unloaded, get settled, get....

Maybe these changes are what happens to everyone when you are no longer the focus of the magic, but the one who tries to make the magic happen. You learn all the secrets to how it happens, the stress of timing and money, the frustration of finding the perfect gifts or picture for the cards, getting the kids to all the functions, etc. and the cycle continues over and over.

I hope that I have given my kids some of the magic as I knew it. I guess my "magic" is different from my parents, and their parents and so on. My kids will hopefully think back to great memories, magical memories of their own. I know my youngest is too smart for his own good and has already figured out how some things are done, but still young enough to think if he doesn't play along that it all goes away. Well, maybe he is too smart, he is giving me back some of the magic by playing along so the magic doesn't all go away, at least not yet.