– The Beautiful Atmosphere of Christmas:
Bottle It & Breathe It All Year –
“Christmas isn’t a season. It’s a feeling.”
— Edna Ferber
The atmosphere around Christmas is different, it’s a unique, wonderful time of year. And that’s not just the case at my house. We all pause our busy lives around Thanksgiving and reconnect with family and friends. We give just to give. We smile. We are thankful and grateful as we take time to reflect on the best parts of our lives. For me, the joy of watching my kids’ faces during this season is magical. And it’s not just the presents they open on Christmas morning – though that is really fun too. It’s more the idea of Christmas that really warms my kids’ hearts. They are little yet even little kids sense that we are all different this time of the year. They want to know why. They wonder about this. And, this is true all over the world this time of year.
Around the United States, we light up our homes, listen to classic Christmas songs, and collect cards with pictures of our friends and their families. Even people who aren’t particularly religious take pleasure in the traditions and family-centric nature of this holiday – 90% of all Americans celebrate on December 25. In Venezuela, children roller skate to church on Christmas Day – many of the roads are blocked off for the tradition. In parts of Italy, La Befana, a good witch delivers presents on January 6. If you’re lucky, she sweeps up around your house too. Italians don’t leave her cookies and milk but rather a glass of wine. Now those are my people! In the U.K., people dress up in fancy Christmas costumes and jump into icy water for no real reason. Germans tell tales of Krampus – a half demon, half goat who punishes misbehaving children around Christmas time. Scary but that would make me mind my parents. None of this is normal behavior, but it’s all ingrained in people’s minds and highly anticipated at the start of every winter. There is no doubt . . . the atmosphere of Christmas is different.
And that’s what makes this time of the year so special. The only bummer is that it ends. Now – to be fair – I am glad that the Christmas songs fade away and that I can take all the stuff down from around my house. It’s sort of a relief to get back to work and wait for spring. It’s nice to get back to normal in that sense. But what I dearly miss every January is the atmosphere of the season – the values that were on full display for over a month in nearly everyone I encountered. These values are something that we should try and keep around much longer.
Application: Change Your Atmosphere
Outside of Christmas, our normal can become monotonous. We get into a routine and time passes before we know it. Good things come and go, bad things come and go, and we move on as if they barely happened. We achieve something and now it’s on to the next box to check. We fail at something and take little time to figure out why. That is a mistake. It’s important to contemplate how our time is spent and how and why things happened to us.
As I reflect on my 2019, too many of my weeks faded into one another. These weeks there was little more than chugging through a schedule or to-do list. Other weeks were more reflective. I look back now and say things like, “Where did fall go? Or “I can barely remember when that happened. I wish I could remember more because that was pretty cool.” What is clear to me is that, in these times, I wasn’t intentional enough about my life. That needs to change next year. My guess is you had similar experiences from time to time last year.
So how can we change our atmosphere, particularly post-Christmas? The answer is easy – by making it so. We can make a point to think about the values we actually celebrate during this time more often than December and then strive to keep that spirit alive well past the new year. Here is a large part of the Christmastime atmosphere worth pondering all year:
- An Others Outlook – this time of year we spend a ton of time thinking about what our loved ones want and where we can provide value to their lives. We often express that in terms of gifts, but that is not always the case. Sometimes it’s a phone call we’re been delaying all year. We make those calls around Christmas. Sometimes it’s sharing an experience like a movie, a trip, or a morning coffee. We make the time around Christmas. In this vein, we should think all year about what those around us desire, what would make them happy, and then try to accommodate some of that. Maybe your kids want your full attention all year and not just at Christmas. Maybe the people who work for you want you to think about their needs and situations all year and not just at Christmas. Maybe we need to pick up the phone more or meet up with friends more. You get the point. What if we could bottle this others-outlook for the people in our lives more often? There really is no reason this must stop in early January.
- Kindness & A Warm Heart – Christmas really is the kindest time of the year. People smile at each other for no other reason than the season. It’s tough to chew someone out the week of Christmas. Everyone is too excited for that. Their hearts are warmer. Again, why does that warmth need to slow down or stop just because it’s January 1 and the Christmas tree is down? Instead, it’s a great idea to make a point to be as kind all year as you are in December. And, be as kind as you can, not just to those you love, but to all those around you.
- Reflection – when your grandma kept telling you to count your blessings, she was right. Christmas is all about reflecting upon our blessings both personally and professionally. We keep a constant vigil on this during this season. Well, we should keep it up. Being thankful and grateful in this way distracts us from the other less desirable things we often think about like gossip, negatively, scheming to get ahead, etc. Make your new year one of reflection. The bottom line with this one: if your life is good . . . keep that on the top of your mind.
- Contemplation – ask yourself these questions all year long: who are you? Who you want to be? What changes must you make in your life to be that person? Do the people and things in your life allow such a transformation? This is a perfect mindset within which to set goals and plan for the future. For me, Christmas is a season of whys and wonder. I contemplate my life a lot. I also ask a lot: Why did God choose this path for humanity? How is it working out? What is the plan for my life? Am I making it harder or easier for God to work though me? These are questions that many Christians ask this time of the year. Your questions may well be different. But do ask this one: what will you contemplate in January? My advice . . . make your dreams for next year BIG DREAMS and think deeply about what it will take to achieve these BIG DREAMS.
I hope this post sparks something in you. Writing it certainly has sparked something inside of me. Try your best to bottle some of your Christmas spirit. Then, breathe it in for as long as you can. There is little doubt in my mind that, by doing this, you will live a happier and healthier life. Make it a goal for you and your loved ones to enjoy this new atmosphere well into 2020!
Prayers for you and your family during this special time. May God bless your life and future,
Corey
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