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The Best Gift at Christmas Time
By: Christina Frost
Last December was a rough one for me. I was dreading becoming a new mom, pregnancy made me feel terrible, and bottom line, I had no desire to celebrate Christmas.
This year I feel much more peaceful even if I’m already experiencing some stress at making my daughter’s first Christmas a good one. I know she won’t remember it, but I will, and I want to commemorate this very special first Christmas the best way possible.
It’s cliche but the magic and wonder of Christmas often gets lost in the midst of present buying, the stress of hosting family or parties, and the general hustle and bustle of the season. Normally, I too am swept up in the madness, but this year I’ve been forced to slow down to baby-speed instead of adult-world speed. This unusual opportunity has helped me reflect this year on what to prioritize as the lights go up and Hallmark Christmas movies play seamlessly in the background.
I’ve thought a lot about my Christmases as a kid lately, and every time a joyful memory rises to the surface, I’ve examined what made that particular memory great. Memory after memory all had one thing in common–they were the ones where my parents went out of their way to give us their undivided attention and do something fun with us.
I remember my mom would put on a Mannheim Steamroller Christmas CD, and we would all decorate the house and Christmas tree together–pulling out our favorite ornaments one by one and trying to remember whose stocking belonged to who.
I also remember her taking my brother, sister, and I to Toys “R” Us and letting us walk around and tell her what we wanted for Christmas so she could “tell Santa”. We didn’t even buy anything but the dream of what we might open on Christmas morning felt marvelous.
I remember my dad would pile all of us into the car and we would drive all the way into town to roll through brightly lit neighborhoods and ooo and aaah at lights on the houses. Sometimes hot chocolate made an appearance and really topped off the evening.
One year we took a whole bunch of old Christmas cards, cut them up, and made Christmas place mats that my step-mom laminated, and those were our Christmas mats for many years to come.
As an adult I know now my parents must have been tired and stressed from work, tired of cooking and cleaning and taking care of all of us, but they still made the effort to give us their ideas, attention, and that touch of Christmas magic in the midst of a busy season.
The biggest thing about these memories though was that they didn’t cost a lot of money. It’s rare I remember any gifts my parents got me–but it’s the thoughtful moments that stuck with me year after year.
I may be writing this to you but truly I am writing this to remind myself. This year we may send out a simple Christmas card, and I just bought some wrapping paper yesterday which was extra bright so my daughter could enjoy the bold colors. And even though she won’t remember this Christmas–the time we spend with her and the moments we share will seep into her subconscious and be the best gift I could give to her to last a lifetime.
May you and your friends and family have a marvelous Christmas this year. Try not to sweat the small stuff. Be silly. Be young. Never underestimate your time and attention over things. A little love goes a long way…
Merry Christmas!
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