When I was a kid, we lived in northern NJ for a while (about 4 years) and while my father commuted into NYC everyday for work, the city felt like a world away from us. The one thing I remembered about the city was December, because every December, we would all pile up into my dad's car, and drive to see the tree & the lights at Rockefeller. The tree and the angels were MAGICAL. We would stop by and look at the windows of all the big department stores and my jaw would just drop open with wonder. The smell of the little chestnut carts was so distinct and delicious, and I loved watching the ice skaters down below. I looked forward to this annual trip every year because it always marked the beginning of the season of magic. This was my absolute FAVORITE time of year. December meant decorating the house with lights and all of Mom's little snowmen, candles & Mrs. Claus figures. It meant snow storms and hot chocolate, and after the snow - building igloos with my brother in the backyard, making snow angels, and building ramps to sled off of and see how much air we could get underneath us. Life couldn't get much better than December.
So what changed? Why is it, as adults, we have such a hard time getting back to the magic of this season? Nowadays, it's all about how stressed out we are and how much we have to get done by the end of the year. It's about "survival guides" to get through the holidays without losing our minds. Why? What happened to the magic? After all, we all still have those little kids inside each and every one of us. The one that believes, the one that wonders at it all. So, I've decided that this year, I'm going to let go of those stressful moments and instead, focus on the beauty of this season. I'm going to wonder again, and think of the good in each moment. Instead of stressing about the shopping lists and greeting cards, I'm going to be grateful that we have friends & family to shop for and to send greeting cards to. Yes, the to-do lists are there and sure, there are a lot of things to get done before the new year, but I'm going to focus on doing it all with a grateful heart. And, we are going to give back in whatever ways possible. We will participate in the coat drives, and the toy drives and the gift drives. We will donate & volunteer, because that is also part of the magic of this season. It's still the season of joy, of love, of giving, and of gratitude.
So next time you find yourself stressed out and the anxiety building up about all you have to do before the end of the year, I hope you can stop, take a few deep breaths, and remember too the magic of this season.