November 19, 2008
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Are you looking forward to Christmas?
I was driving to my dad’s place on Sunday and saw Christmas decorations up already at some houses. That’s just a bit too early for me. I also got an email from my brother about Christmas dinner. I don’t know. The past couple years, Christmas just isn’t the same.
When I was a kid, I wrote letters to Santa. We had a Christmas tree complete with plastic snow. I remember the joy of setting up the Christmas tree, listening to the carols, On Christmas morning, there would be gifts. Included with the gifts were little notes complimenting us on how well (or poorly) we did at school. Santa left mud tracks by the side door (we didn’t have snow in the Philippines). I remember watching TV shows showing Santa coming down by the chimney. I was horrified. We didn’t have a chimney. But dad said he was sure Santa would come in by the side door and moved the furniture around so he could enter.
The notes on how we did at school and at home were eerie. How did he know so much? A year or two later, I was doing my usual list to Santa. School was out and we all got a chance to hang out with my dad at work. His office was big and messy with papers piled everywhere. Underneath one pile, I saw my letter to Santa. At first I didn’t say anything. But I did remind him afterwards to mail it because it will take a long time to get to the North Pole. I think that’s when I lost that innocence
I guess that’s the feeling I have now. Christmas has changed into something else for me. It’s less exciting and sadly, I feel more cynical about it. I just want to be a kid again at Christmas time.
Comments (19)
i feel the same way. i haven’t felt the christmas spirit in years.
I always feel the joy of the season as I get together with family and friends.
Few if any gifts are exchanged, it’s truly just about making the time to
spend with those you care about. At least, that is what Christmas has become
to me.
Be well *~matthew~*
Your post reminds me to do a post on Christmas. It is a season for kids but it is a time to remember there is a child inside each of us and that child needs attention – maybe this is a good time to give it some attention!
I guess I was quite the boring kid as I knew that there was no such thing as the tooth fairy or santa claus when I was a kid. But I have to agree, there’s really no sense of excitement and happiness as there was when I was in high school. Friends are all so busy and we no longer do those window shopping trips on 5th avenue or huddling in a coffee shop to keep warm and discussing gifts.
Nice entry, Matt. One thing I’ve found is that it I’m looking forward to Christmas much more now that I don’t live in North America. Sure, the malls here have lots of Christmas decorations up, but as a whole there is much less of that Christmas overload than you find back home. That makes it easier to appreciate what Christmas will really mean: the opportunity to spend time with friends, family and loved ones.
Your horror at finding out that Santa came down the chimney but you didn’t have a chimney, was precious cute!
Nice post, Matt. Quite a touching story. I want to believe in Santa Clause again.
My Christmas spirit is burning =D
Dunno, when i see christmas i see shopping =P and I just love seeing ppl shop =D
I just bought xmas gifts for my sis, cousin and nephew today =P
too early eh ? XD
it’s interesting how different our experience of xmas and santa are. i think your parents played along with the ‘santa is real’ thing, whereas my parents didn’t even celebrate it at all, which made me see it differently. i just saw santa on tv, but i never got too disappointed when i realised he wasn’t real.
to answer your heading question, i am not necessarily looking forward to christmas. i don’t think i’m looking forward to socialising, which sounds a bit strange, i think.
what i enjoy about christmas is the look of it. i like how the trees look, i like that it’s cheery. and i guess it’s a time where a lot of people are celebrating and a time to indulge ourselves and in other people.
hheheehehee yeah christmas is boring now without all that innocence and excitement. being a kid totally rocks!
well, since for me santa is just one big (polar) bear, that’s the only thing i’m looking forward to…maybe i can convince one of my bear friends to dress up as santa (hehe).
you can still write letters to santa! He will never forsake you.
@ABSOLUTmichael - believe it or not, I played Santa Claus once (costume and all) at a Christmas party. Ugh…
i have a hard time getting into the christmas spirit until after my final exams are done. until then, i really just can’t relax enough to enjoy the holidays. it also really irritates me that the “christmas season” is extended such that it starts around halloween; can’t people wait until at least after thanksgiving?
although the wonder and mystery of santa claus is long gone, i think if you let yourself really get into the christmas spirit — that is, the spirit of giving, of sharing time with loved ones, and of relaxing and just enjoying some down time — then you will find a bit of that same happiness you felt when you were little… at least i do.
@bleuzeus - yeah.. maybe I’ll have to do something different this Xmas.
@Fatcat723 - I’m looking forward to your post.
@christao408 - I’ve never spent Xmas away from home before. That would be a really different perspective.
@stevew918 - I know it’s more than gifts – maybe I should think about the other meaning of Xmas.
@zozoyork - oh oh… what did you get me?
@twistedoff - maybe it’s the overindulgence and the commercialism that is getting to me.
@masecam - lol… it’ll likely be “Return to Sender” and I’ll get really depressed.
@carpe_diem99 - I need to hang around kids more often.
@kunhuo42 - I will try to do that.
@ekin - maybe we have to break that busy cycle. I shouldn’t talk though – I’ve been working long hours lately.
@wutuwaitn4 - I gotta get out of this mood. I feel like a depressed grinch.
My favorite holiday is Thanksgiving. No commercializations, no expectations; just famiy and dear friends all hanging out, eating, telling tales and spinning yarns. but i can feel your sadness also Matt. Perhaps as you get closer to that day, your spirit will be feeling happier??? I hope so. Lots of love.
I cannot see decorations of Christmas in Chengdu. I felt warm to see X’mas decoration when I return HK.
@ZSA_MD - Yeah, I need to do something different this Xmas. Thank you for the support.
@ofchan - Yeah I agree it’s nice. Over here though, they are out so early and there’s too much of it.
sad to say that i haven’t celebrated christmas for god-knows-how-long. nor am i a christian, so christmas is just another international holiday to me like january 1st.
@rudyhou - well, it’s not sad because this isn’t part of your faith (I’m Catholic). My bf also treats it as just another holiday and it’s mostly for the kids.