My favorite holiday is Christmas, but not for the reasons you may think. I do not care about the gifts. To me, Christmas is about the joy you get from enjoying the simple pleasures like the lights on the tree, kisses under the mistletoe, and building gingerbread houses. My favorite part of Christmas is giving to others.
On any other day, you could ask me what my favorite thing is and I would tell you that it’s being with the ones I love family and friends alike. Don’t get me wrong, that doesn’t change at Christmas, but Christmas is one of the few times I know exactly how to make some people’s lives a little bit better.
Every Christmas, I volunteer to help throw a Christmas party for special needs kids. I help decorate, prepare and serve food, dance with guests, give dessert, act as Santa’s security, and hand out gifts and candy bags. This is my favorite part of Christmas because seeing the joy on these people’s faces is what I think Christmas is all about.
Christmas seems to be the only time I see people getting along. It’s almost as if people stop fighting for the holidays. It is nice to see people getting along. To me, the joy in the air is what makes Christmas so special.
I don’t like New Years because it means the end of something. On Valentine’s Day, I am frowned upon for being single. Halloween is for kids. Thanksgiving is all about food I don’t eat. However, Christmas is about spreading cheer.
To me, Christmas is about making other people happy, not ourselves. I enjoy giving gifts, but most of the time I don’t enjoy receiving gifts.
For me, getting a gift from someone is the most awkward thing in the world. I never know how fast or slow I should unwrap the gift. Am I supposed to go slow or rip the paper off at superspeed? I have no idea whether or not to make eye contact. And if someone gives me a gift and we didn’t say we were exchanging or I don’t have their gifts on me, I feel guilty and like I need to reciprocate.
Christmas to me is not about the gifts. It is supposed to bring people joy. For me, it is almost like the air changes and all of my problems disappear. Christmas is a time where I look at the good in the world. Even when the world seems to be falling apart, I seem to appreciate the little things a lot more around Christmas.
