Children say it’s the presents, adults usually say it’s being with family or the spirit that comes with the holiday. There is a lot of excitement and good cheer in Christmas, but the best part about Christmas is actually all in your head.
As a child we have all experienced the excitement that wakes us up at 3:00 or 4:00 in the morning and entices us out of the warm cozy bed to peek at the wondrously lit tree with a pool of shining packages around it. Stockings are laden with treats and an introduction to the surprises wrapped under the tree. That moment, we are sure, is the most magical moment of the entire year, when so many good things seem to appear out of nowhere and everyone is happily sliding out of bed with twinkles in their eyes regardless of the restless night and tousled hair.
As we become older and discover the joy of giving, we find more magic in the weeks leading up to the wondrous morning. When we have found or made the perfect gift for a parent or sibling and we can’t think of anything else but the surprise and joy the individual with reflect in their excited faces when they open the present.
Understanding the true reason for the season brings even more joy. Knowing the story of the birth of Jesus, understanding what it meant for Him to humble himself. Building a relationship with Him and knowing what He came for, allows us to open our hearts to even strangers. The magic of Christmas growing as we are kind and find kindness in others.
The real magic isn’t in gifts or kindness, we give and receive gifts and kindness all throughout the year, the magic is in the discovery. Children’s imaginations go crazy imagining any number of treasures wrapped in pretty packages. As their guesses are confirmed or surpassed they find unwrapping the gifts to be the favorite activity. Giving a gift is truly exciting when the gratitude is expressed in a squealing reaction, and finding a kinship among strangers is powerful because you never expected it before.
The discovery is the magic. We get to enjoy Christmas because our eyes and hearts are open, ready to receive and to give. We look for magic and kindness and that’s when we’re able to find it. The best part about Christmas is that everyone adopts the state of mind that allows us to learn and discover. We are able to discover all over again that we are loved and that we love others. All the rest of Christmas is just ways in which we are able to discover and learn about ourselves and the world around us. We belong and we are loved, and we get to learn that over and over again. We get to understand Christmas better every year as we discover more about what it’s about.
