What Happened to the Magic of Christmas?

Am I the only one who often finds it a struggle to feel excited about Christmas?

The first year I remember not being able to get in the mood for Christmas was my freshman year in college. I'm sure being away from home was a big part of it. I don't remember if there was a lack of snow that year, but that's another factor that affects my ability to get in the holiday mood, since everyone knows it ALWAYS snows on Christmas…

The thrill I felt as a kid at Christmastime truly fit the “magic” of the season. But why? There are a host of happy memories of The Season that built my anticipation of Christmas into a disproportionately momentous thing. It’s understandable that these were still fresh and new as a child. It’s difficult to maintain that feeling of wonder as the decades pile up. But still, it seems that other adults are transported into almost annoyingly good moods this time of year.

While I no longer can say “I can’t wait for Christmas,” the agony of waiting for the Big Day tested my patience as a young lad, so that when it finally did arrive, it didn't seem real--kind of like the last day of school.

When at long last Christmas Eve dawned, I remember my mom listening to the local AM radio station (which played recordings of Christmas concerts from local schools) as she busied herself with preparations, while us kids busied ourselves with winter fun: skating, sledding, and maybe working on a snow fort, before finally getting ready for the late afternoon church service.

The glow of Christmas was warm indeed as we came home for a feast of ham, potatoes, pickles (very important) and an endless array of goodies, including Norwegian favorites: lefse, krumkake, sandbakkels, and fattigman. My mom also made this white stuff called “divinity,” which was good, but seemed to have at least a cup of sugar crammed into each walnut-sized piece.

Then at long last came what it turns out I was most excited about all along: the presents! Long ago I realized that despite all the other special charms of Christmas, it was the promise of NEW TOYS that contributed most to my Christmas cheer. That's disappointing…

There are still elements of Christmas I really like, but  that magical feeling? There are now only fleeting glimpses of it--mostly when I'm touched by those nostalgic memories of “Days of yore.”

​I still enjoy getting presents, but giving them is a lot more fun than it used to be. I enjoy the food, music, and the whole vibe, but being with my family trumps it all. And if I can connect in worship with my Blessed Savior (who the whole thing’s SUPPOSED to be about), that's pretty much as perfect as it gets, whether there's snow or not.