In one of your distant memories, from when you were 5 or 6 years old, you remember how magical Christmas was. With life moving at a hundred miles an hour—between the kids and work—you’ve probably buried that feeling under the weight of life’s responsibilities.
Christmas is a wonderful time of year when we get to see our extended family, but it also brings with it a whole host of obligations on our part—obligations your children have no idea about (which is perfectly normal).
Decorating the house. Preparing plenty of food if we’re having guests. Buying little fancy outfits for each family member. Buying gifts for your kids, your spouse, your two grandmothers, the babysitter, the teacher, your parents, your in-laws, your godchild, your three nieces… Phew! But it’s not over yet.
Decorate the Christmas tree, play pranks on your elf(s). And ABOVE ALL, run back and forth trying to get it all done before Christmas Day!
But, beyond all this hustle and bustle, what does your child see with their own eyes?
Nothing but the magic of the holiday season. Plain and simple.
Just the first snow. Did you notice how your kids reacted? Here, it was total euphoria. They even set up a landing strip for Santa. I should point out that it barely fell two centimeters and a quarter and melted that very same day…
Once the outdoor decorations are up, the kids never miss a night to remind us that it’s dark out and that we HAVE to turn them on. They can spend a good two minutes (quietly) just watching them.
The Christmas tree. Whether it’s artificial or you go out to the woods to get one, decorating it is always a treat for your child. I’ll admit that having more than half the decorations at the bottom of your tree might be a bit of an eyesore, but just let it go. Your children are happy to experience this moment, which sets the stage for beautiful memories.
Christmas through their eyes is excitement, anticipation, red, white, green, Christmas carols, and lots of fun.
So in December (or sometimes, late November), stop and marvel! See Christmas through a child’s eyes.
Happy (magical) holiday season!