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Notes From Here & Now: A Twist on Christmas Lists

Hello out there.

“The ole nights are shot” is something we hear a lot around Belfast once September rolls around, and the light of day grows noticeably shorter. We’ve seen Christmas decorations aplenty appear as soon as all the ghosts of Halloween were put back in their graves.

From my position as a parent to upper single-figure kids, Christmas has become an interesting way to look at the power of collective storytelling and perspective. My kids are now of that age where there is a certain enchantment to Christmas that had been lost in the annals of my adult mind.

I can see that feeling of magic that once captured my youth working its alchemy on my own two. They believe in the beauty of it all because we encourage them to — this is the power of playing a shared game. We play along, give them our attention and excitement, and in the act of doing so become enchanted ourselves. Imagine applying this to any game we play and the positive ripples it has for all.

Christmas has also become a useful comparative tool for a perspective shift, showcasing the power of our own minds. Take a second, and try to imagine — like really try to pretend — that today is Christmas Day. Things suddenly look, feel, and even smell a specific way, don’t they? Despite no actual changes, the world is suddenly a bit different based on how you choose to look at it. You can apply this filter to any day of the year and it’s just as effective.

While today is not Christmas Day, it is fast approaching (19 sleeps according to my children). A few nights ago, they wrote their Christmas lists to Santa and sent them via smoke mail (basically sticking it on the fire). It struck me how pretty much everything they asked for was a newer, shinier, plastic-y version of things they already owned and left lying around on their arses.

Maybe part of the magic for my kids is the simple selfish excitement over what they’re going to get. The truth is they don’t need any of the stuff they’ve asked for. And the planet certainly doesn’t need any of the packaging that will inevitably accompany it.

I’m wondering out loud this season; What if the magic of the holiday was a reflection of our own values rather than driven by commercialism and an abundance of stuff?

What if all of us parents out there help our kids ask for a little less? Or, focus our attention on the goods crafted by our own neighborhood businesses?

As the smoke mail curls and dances on its way, I find myself musing, what if Santa goes green and implements a re-use recycle present program this year? Just a thought.

Receiving presents might account for some of the magic for my kids, but most of it is something else. I myself don’t remember what I got for Christmas any given year (with a few stand-out exceptions). What I remember most is the feeling of the season — that magical air of possibility powered by story, rich with visual traditions, and shared deeply with family.

–Oliver