The Magic of Christmases Past

A few days ago, it finally felt like Christmas to me. And would you like to know at what moment this feeling occurred? When my favorite Christmas songs were playing in a gigantic toy store.

The fact that this is the only point I’ve felt the Christmas magic this year worries me. Have I, as an American adult, especially as a Christian American adult, been so brainwashed that I only really feel that Christmas magic again when I’m surrounded by toys?

As a child, Christmas is truly such a magical season -- and indeed, it is a season. It begins weeks before Dec. 25, as the perfect letter to Santa Claus does not write itself. A few weeks later (as Christmas decorations are slowly finding their way out of boxes and into their proper places around the house) the hunt for the perfect tree begins. For years, a family friend hosted a Christmas tree-hunting party and it was by far the highlight of the year. Dozens of families would pile into their respective cars and hustle off to the nearest tree farm where we could climb the mountain and yes, saw down our very own trees. Of course afterwards we got to decorate them … and so the preparations continued.

Advent candles were lit and stockings were hung and Christmas books were read. And there really is no accurate description of the pure joy and excitement of lying in bed on Christmas Eve knowing that at ANY moment Old Saint Nick and his reindeer would be prancing and pawing on the roof.

That changed, as most things do, when adulthood descended. We grew too busy to cut down a tree at a now too-far-distant farm. Santa letters were no longer written and schoolwork and the dreaded finals period right before Christmas (bah, humbug!) took precedence over Christmas ornaments.

Christmas itself is still always a wonderful time (all one day of it), filled with baked goods and family and caroling neighbors, but it’s no longer the extended magical season it once was. I do occasionally get glimpses of that magic at other points -- be it in a toy store, a city street filled with beautiful winter lights, the perfect gift found for a loved one, or even while sitting on Santa’s lap when he drives through town on the fire engine (yes, I realize at this point that many of the firemen are nearing my age and so the tradition is no longer quite appropriate but it IS one of my favorites and I refuse to let it go! I figure I have a couple more years where I’m cute enough to have it be funny.)

Anyway, I do take magic where I can get it. And hey, I’m pretty sure that part of the toy store magic was listening to parents excitedly discuss what to buy their children and that’s something, right?