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| Photo by Jamila Estanislao |
"We are better throughout the year for having, in spirit, become a child again at Christmastime." - Laura Ingalls Wilder
Extravagant lighting, cold weather, seasonal tunes, and kids laughing. We mostly associate these with Christmas. Whenever we think of it, we get giddy—and rightfully so. Christmas has always been about joy, and that's exactly why it is one of the most anticipated events by everyone for the year. Semestral breaks for the students, Christmas bonuses for the working adults—it’s a fun time for everyone. No one is left behind in spending Christmas.
I remember when I was younger, I would always eagerly wait for Christmas every year. I would always imagine the gifts I was going to receive and the amount of fun I was going to have in opening them. That's always been the main concern children that age would have come the season, it was innocently idealistic. I was just like any other kid who always thought of the world as one filled with dreams and pleasures.
As it would turn out, that is not the case most of the time. The goody-two-shoes mindset that I have always brought with me when I was younger slowly dissipated into thin air. I had a reality check, not that I’m mad about it. I think it’s nice that every once in a while to check our own privileges, especially during the season. That said, adulthood is a scary line to cross as a teenager. We never really notice where the starting line on becoming an adult is; 18th birthdays be damned, but I’m starting to see the whole point of being one is that maturity comes along with it.
Adulthood can often strip your childhood joys of their smoke and mirrors and offer some sobering realizations about ourselves and the things around us. What I've realized is that I am very much privileged to even get to spend Christmas.
In this time and age, not everyone has the resources to celebrate the holidays. Some people even need to work on Christmas Eve to remain financially afloat, and most people are not with their loved ones to enjoy the wonderful season.
As a burgeoning adult, I began to be more grateful for even getting to spend the holidays in leisure. It reminds me of how far I've come every year and I should stop selling myself short for all the things I have done during the previous twelve months. Christmas to me, now as I approach adulthood, made me realize that it is not always the gifts you receive that can strengthen your holiday spirit. Simply, just relishing in the loving environment we have around us is enough—the family that we celebrate every holiday season with, distance be damned.
I do believe that the child that once wanted gifts more than anything else still resides somewhere deep within me. There are things I still don’t understand and responsibilities that I can’t handle. I am also just a kid as much as I am an adult and the same may go for many others. It is just that rationality and practicality overrule our inner child, affecting our decisions as we get older.
Enjoying the holiday season knows no age. Sure, I might have felt more responsible now but Christmas brings out the children in everybody—not just me. Christmas as an adult teaches us many things, particularly putting into perspective our privileges, but it also never stops us from having fun. We most definitely live in busier times but the spirit of Christmas should give us the chance to slow down, take a breather, and spend time with our loved ones whenever and while we still can.
There isn’t any revolutionary change in spending Christmas as you transition into an adult, but you do slowly learn more about a sobering reality as you grow up. Adulthood is scary, yes, but times like the holiday season make it a little easier as they remind us to reconnect with the inner child inside of us. There is nothing wrong with feeling like a kid again, waiting for gifts and looking forward to the joyous feeling we've all had at one point during the holidays. Have some fun this holiday and live life to the fullest with your loved ones. It is a tremendous blessing to be able to have this time with them.
Happy holidays everyone!
