Lately, I've been thinking about how Christmas used to feel...slower, simpler, and less complicated. This year, with so many people facing layoffs, higher prices, and cutbacks in assistance, the season of giving looks a little different. The usual spark of the holidays is dimmed by economic uncertainty. For many families, the focus has shifted from finding the perfect gift to simply getting through the month...making sure there's enough for groceries, for gas, for keeping the lights on and heating their homes. And yet, maybe this is the Christmas that brings us back to what truly matters.
The holidays have always carried expectations: perfect meals, overflowing trees and picture-perfect moments. But this year, those expectations feel out of step with reality for many families. The pressure to buy and to "keep up" can feel heavier than ever. Knowing your child wants the newest Playstation game, but you need to pay the light bill, can put an enormous amount of pressure, and stress on a parent who wants to give their child everything they want for Christmas.
When I think back to my own childhood, our home was never about gift giving. Christmas meant going to church and singing in the choir, reading books, and going to Grandma's house to have a meal with the whole family. While the meal was being prepped, us kids would go outside and slide down hill in a porcelain enamel pan that served both as a great sled, and the pan grandma made us all popcorn in! We played outside until the adults would make us come in to eat! After we played board games, had actual conversations and opened presents. There were many years, in our house that we didn't even have a Christmas tree, but it didn't matter. My dad worked at a paper mill and often worked doubles and triples to make ends meet. Holidays were double time pay, so he usually tried to work them for the higher pay and to allow other guys to be home with their families. I always had one or two "toys" under the tree, but mostly it was a new outfit, and some new books, that were mostly previously loved and handed down, but to me, they were the best gifts ever! Gift giving was simple. We didn't buy for everyone. We drew names and often times the gift was handmade, which made it even more special. I can remember receiving a 50-cent piece or silver dollar and thinking I was rich! Those small things meant everything, not because of their value but because of the love and warmth that surrounded them.
There was a time when Christmas wasn't about the latest gadget or a stack of boxes under the tree. It was about gathering with family, sharing stories, and giving from the heart. Maybe this year, we'll rediscover the joy of giving simply and meaningfully, baking together, making gifts by hand, or spending an evening surrounded by family and laughter. Maybe Christmas will look a little less like a shopping trip and more like a quiet night sitting together with the people who matter most.
Maybe this year we leave the gadgets and technology OUT of the holidays altogether. Instead of everyone on phones and tablets, we could gather around the TV to watch the classics-- A Christmas Carol, It's a Wonderful Life, or Miracle on 34th Street and think about what Christmas meant to people back then. The messages in those stories still ring true today: kindness, compassion, and the reminder that love and generosity matter far more than money or things, because when you strip away the tinsel and the noise, what remains are the things that have always mattered: family, kindness, and memories that bring us together.
Even in difficult times, the heart of Christmas is still strong. It lives in the small acts of caring, the handwritten card, the shared meal, and the laughter around the table. So if this year looks a little different, maybe that's ok. Maybe it's the reminder we needed that the best gifts can't be bought, only shared. Maybe this year we focus on all the things we have to be grateful for, instead of focusing on all the things we don't have.
However, you celebrate this holiday season, may it be filled with warmth, laughter, and the people you love the most. Here's to a Christmas that's less about what's under the tree, and more about who's gathered around it!
