Deck The Halls With Youthful Exuberance
Christmas is a holiday that has morphed into something much different than the originality of its name. Christ’s Birthday has been commercialized to the point of almost being a commercial in and of itself. Like it or not, it may be best viewed as more of a festival day of giving rather than a religious celebration for some. In the United States, Christmas is a holiday, and people of every race and religion have had to elbow their way through interpreting their own meaning and reason for possibly decorating or not, or taking the day off to be with family and friends. To make matters worse, it comes just one month after Thanksgiving, blending the two into one long shopping marathon. Stress builds through the cooking, Black Friday sales, and to tree or not to tree.
Throughout these festivities, there’s endless music, endless movies, endless guys in Santa suits, Christmas represented on television by age-old animated characters, Rudolf and friends, and of course, each new pop star’s take on Christmas classics. What’s an adult to do?
Well, I just may have a youthful take on the matter, try acting like a kid! Be carefree!! I didn’t say careful, and I didn’t say careless, I said carefree! Don’t let it all overwhelm you. Try getting on the bus to Funville and bring your smile back. I know, I know, there will be the Grinches among us, but get creative and rise above it!
I happen to have a 15-year-old Grandnephew who just plain LOVES Christmas. It is easily his favorite time of the year, and nothing is stopping him from making each Christmas better than the last. His approach to Christmas is not being able to wait the other eleven months of the year for it to come. “Sure," you're saying, “Presents under the tree, how bad can life be?”
Allow me to paint you a different picture. First, after school, this young entrepreneur powers his way through cutting not only his family’s grass but that of several neighbors. Then, a few years back, he and a friend started a DJ company, and he saves money to continually reinvest and purchase his own equipment, and soon a car. They market themselves, get their own gigs, get paid, and save. Most importantly, they love what they do and in turn, loving what you do shows. So, while just 15, he’s not without responsibilities which he has placed on himself, and he still very much LOVES Christmas!
When I recently asked him about his youthful exuberance for decking the halls, he told me the first Christmas he remembers was in 2005 before he was two years old. I asked him when he himself started decorated, and he quickly replied 2007. I asked him what made him love Christmas, and nothing was said about gifts. Instead, he said, “‘All of the fun, festivities, lights, trees, music, the holiday treats, and all that.” He admits that he loves Christmas more than his friends, but they love it too. But he lights up (I just had to) when you talk about decorating, setting up the tree and the front of the house. But it all begins with his bedroom. He showed me his room last year, and he was like a homeowner going for the neighborhood Christmas light celebration! He sees this time of year as a creative one, and creativity is fun!
What I see in him is what I feel many of us miss, youth exuberance! We adults are very good at lumping mounds of responsibility on ourselves, making our holiday into a knot in our stomachs. Sure it’s a busy time of the year, but busy need not always overpower the festivities. How many times do we ask each other about whose coming to dinner, and the answer is delivered with an exhaustive note before the day has even arrived. We’ve already told ourselves I’m tired.
This year try being 15 again and absolutely in love with Christmas! Live An Artful Life, find the joyfulness in being creative, sharing time with family and friends, and letting a bit of your inner child run loose. A change in attitude can make for the best gift of all, your sanity!
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