All Hearts Come Home for Christmas
'Tis the Season
All Hearts Come Home for Christmas!
Each year the same trend seems to be followed. September and October roll around and the season begins to change. The trees color turn light red and yellow as they begin to lose their leaves. The temperature drops, and Christmas is here!
It’s super early, around three to four o'clock and you wake up and have that feeling. It's Christmas. You run out and see the presents and go get mom and dad. It makes me wonder what could be in the presents. It also makes me think what presents are for me and which ones are for my brothers. To some of you, this may be really exciting, others may feel even more stressed out, or tend to have mixed emotions. I am always a little bit of each. Christmas was always a magical time of year for me. The beautifully decorated shopping malls, with toys everywhere you looked, always fascinated me. And the houses, with the way their lights would glow upon the glistening snow at night, always seemed to calm me. But decorating the Christmas tree and falling asleep underneath the warm glow of the lights, in awe that Santa Claus would soon be there, was the best part of it all.
For many children, Christmas means Santa Claus visiting on Christmas eve, placing gifts, such as iPhones, Barbie dolls, Transformers, and other gifts of delight under the Christmas tree. For other children, Christmas is a time to doubt the existence of Santa. As a child, these things enchanted me. An elder, fat, white haired man, wearing a red suit and stocking cap, with cherry red nose and a laugh that can bring joy and be heard for miles. He’s known for living at the North Pole and traveling around the world by sleigh pulled by mystical flying reign deer.
As crazy as it all sounds, I personally believed in the man at a younger age. Sure, the presents were great, but the excitement and mystery of Christmas is what I loved most of all. Believing, that’s what it was all about. Believing there really was a Santa and waking up Christmas morning, realizing he’d come, as my sleepy eyes focused on all the fancily wrapped presents.
For many, Christmas is a sad time. It reminds people of their losses, perhaps a failed marriage, or death of loved one, or being out of work. It is also a sad time because it reminds people of what they desire, a loving relationship instead of being alone, by one’s self. For me, Christmas is all of these meanings and more. Despite the stress, the loss, the materialism, the symbols of the season, the doubts of faith, I still believe in celebration, listening to Christmas Carols, putting up the tree, perhaps attending a church service, watching shows and films with a Christmas theme, exchanging of small gifts, spending time with my elderly parents and family I’ve just now met, savoring a turkey dinner, remember those who have died, as well as relationships that have drifted. Most important, Christmas is about goodwill and peace to others, if only for a day.
I’ve went around and surveyed students and parents asking the same, simple question
“Why do you like Christmas?”
and here are their responses...
"I love Christmas and the meaning it has. I enjoy baking and putting up my tree and other stuff for Christmas. To me Christmas is not Christmas unless you see family and friends and celebrate."
"I love it because I can see smile on everyone's face and people are everywhere shopping happily, giving and receiving gifts. Just love the atmosphere."
"I love Christmas because of the quality time you get to spend time with your family. I thank God that I have a family and that I have what I have because others spend Christmas alone and I just feel bad for them so I'm glad I have that chance. It just feels like the best part of the year. I don't even think that my birthday is as good as Christmas. I love waking up earlier than I wake up for school and just not being cranky. I wake up later than I do for Christmas, for school and I'm always tired and grumpy. I love running down to the living room and Christmas morning and seeing all the gifts Santa Claus left for us under the tree. It feels so magical."
"I love everything about Christmas, the excitement, the presents, the family etc.!"
"I like it because everyone around me is happy."
"I LOVE Christmas so much. I love when it's raining or snowing outside and you're all snug inside with a nice film, I have a Christmas pudding shaped mug that I use for the whole season, I love all the happiness."
"Christmas is my favorite time of year. I love how the world feels around Christmastime."
"I look forward to the family time, the presents just make it better. I look forward to seeing my baby cousins' faces light up as they see the Christmas tree and receive presents."
