Life in the Holiday Lane

I’ve been wearing my Elf cap over the last several weeks, perusing the aisles of different stores and clicking on one website after another in hopes of finding the holiday trifecta: an inspired idea, a great bargain on said idea, and (if buying online) an arrive-by-Christmas shipping guarantee. Every year I find myself in a last minute scramble that is exhausting, for sure, but mostly exhilarating and joy filled. Judging by the jam-packed parking lots, incessantly long checkout lines, and merchandise displays that look as though there’s been a looting, I know I’m not alone in the holiday dash. However, there are those who would describe the same inconveniences as I just did and stop 100 miles short of calling them joy filled. I say that with a knowing smile and laugh as I recall my husband’s recent experience trying to exit a movie parking lot; it took 45 minutes. You can be sure that his joie de vivre hit a flat note and gave rise to a spirit more becoming of a Scrooge than a Christmas Angel! Any other time of year and I, too, would have had a case of the falalalalalalala blues in such a situation. The 7 year old in me wants to believe this seasonal bliss is part and parcel to the magic of Santa. Funny thing is, as I think about it from an adult perspective, I still think the younger me has it right. There’s magic in this Season and, yes, that magic has evolved from the childhood anticipation of a bearded man with a belly full of jelly and his 8 reindeer arriving on my rooftop at midnight to a metaphorical understanding and appreciation for all that that man and those reindeer have come to represent: wonder, awe, excitement, faith, kindness, togetherness, tradition, and love.At no other time of year do I feel more connected to the stranger standing next to me or more generous with all that I’ve been blessed. I’d like to say these feelings carry over into the other 11 months of the year with the same enormity I feel them today, but, admittedly, that wouldn’t be true. Why, though? I wonder, what gets in any of our way from being the best version of ourselves? In thinking about December, I would say that one of its themes (more than most other months) is about the shared experience of looking forward to something – be it a break from school or work, giving/receiving a certain gift, decorating, or participating in festivities. Our anticipation of something special coming makes us hopeful, lighter in spirit, and more attune to what’s happening in and around us – all of our senses are activated and, subsequently, we feel more connected to our experience. Just a few weeks ago, for example, I watched a snowflake fall onto my coat and honed in on it, noticing its unique yet recognizable shape as well as its unbelievably intricate design. I was mesmerized that something so perfectly crafted fell from the sky.Knowing that December’s glow shines brighter – literally – than the other months of the year, all of us probably need to work a little harder January through November to hold onto the belief that something wonderful is coming. This New Years, ask yourself: where and what is the magic in your life that awakens your senses and lifts you up into a version of yourself that you never want to let go? If you’re not sure, look around. Snowflakes may not fall all year long, but there’s always something to notice, listen to, savor, or simply acknowledge with gratitude.Wishing you and yours a hope filled 2018!