Holiday Perspectives As We Age
I have wonderful memories of the holidays. Such a magical time when we were young.
However there is a silent truth about the holidays that no one tells us: they don’t stay the same. The lights remain bright, the carols are still familiar, and the cranberry sauce still retains it’s unsettling shape of the can for hours - but we change. And so does the way we experience the season.
As author Anais Nin famously wrote “We don’t see things the way they are, we see things the way we are.”
This time of year is no exception.
The holidays are like a magical mirror reflecting who we are at the time in life.
Our childhood reflects the wonder of our world.
As a teen we are living through our “Ugh Years.” Do we really have to get up that early…Ugh.
Young adulthood can be best described as the logistics era. Learning how to handle the chaos of planning the holidays.
Midlife is when meaning deepens. We start to realize that traditions are not just activites - they are memory anchors. Mom’s recipe, special ornaments, and favorite songs become the continuity in a world that constantly changes.
Then something beautiful happens. The presents matter less, and presence matters more. Who is at the table becomes more important than what is on the table. Our wisdom kicks in which allows us to stop stressing about the lumps in the potatoes, the prime rib that may be slightly over cooked and not having the traditional fruit cake that nobody liked anyway.
This year we are having bolognese, salad and garlic bread. Carryout from our favorite Italian restaurant. Very different from the past, but a welcome change for our future.
Every year we get to see a slightly different version of our self and find a new joy, all thanks to the holiday mirror. This year is time to simplify, relax, reflect and enjoy. We no longer need to work to make the magic. We just need to make room for it to happen.
Full circle, the magic is back.
The holidays don’t change, we do. I like what I see from this perspective.
Enjoy your day,
Just a little extra-
I wish you the merriest of the holiday season for you and your family.
References
Cole, Garry. February 2024. Are We Old Yet? (Yes, I used my book as a reference)