Please help me get Christmas magic back!

[apirateslifeforme]

I became cynical and jaded many years ago. I haven't enjoyed Christmas for about 20 years now. My grandfather (who was my "dad" - I grew up with my grandparents and had no relationship with my real father) died on Christmas Eve 1998, so that makes it even worse. But this year, I'm trying to think of what I can do to get back the magic that I felt when I was little. I'm thinking I'll start with getting a DVD of the Nutcracker (the Baryshnikov one) - I used to sit and watch that 3-4 times when it was on PBS. Always in the dark with just the tree lights on. Now, I don't really have the money for a big tree or the time to decorate it, but maybe even a little 4-footer would work. With the multi-colored lights and the Disney ornaments that my mother made way back when (I couldn't let her throw those out!). I have other decorations that I reappropriated as well when I moved out, so I have a lot of stuff from my childhood. I've got CDs of Christmas songs (not just Twisted Christmas!) and I like to watch the Christmas services on the religion channel, so I'll start doing that again.

I was thinking of going to see Santa, but the ones here tend to be handsy and the red nose is more from cheap whiskey than the cold...

I just don't know what else to do... This is a hard time of year for my mother and grandmother as well.

 

[ElizaB39]

Perhaps volunteer for others less fortunate (soup kitchen, salvation army). If you are involved in a church, they likely have a gift tree, or take donations for meals (actual food items, not $$). You could buy a small gift for Toys for Tots.

Bake cookies, find a live nativity in your area, attend a church/school christmas concert, drive around at night and look at christmas lights.

 

[Tazicket]

The Nutcracker is a great start! Will there be any places near you performing it live? It's a traditional performance where I live, and DH and I won free tickets to see it last year. It was so magical!

Every year we have a tradition of watching Christmas Story (with Ralphie who wants a Red Rider BB Gun), National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, and Elf. DH and I don't have much space, but we do have a little 3 foot fiber optic tree that we put up (it's really pretty). We also have a tradition of getting Starbucks coffee and driving around to look at Christmas lights. (Can you tell that I love Christmas, yet?)

Is there a traditional food or candy or something that you used to eat at Christmas time when you were little? Scents and tastes are a great way of reconnecting with memories.

I'll try to think of more ideas for you.

 

[jennyl772003]

I think the best way to experience Christmas magic is by celebrating with kids. They don't have to be yours, but find some kids!

 

[apirateslifeforme]

I think the best way to experience Christmas magic is by celebrating with kids. They don't have to be yours, but find some kids!

Funny you should say that...my crush-friend has 2 little girls and I was thinking of asking him if I could borrow them, to see it through their eyes again!

 

[yeartolate]

Perhaps volunteer for others less fortunate (soup kitchen, salvation army). If you are involved in a church, they likely have a gift tree, or take donations for meals (actual food items, not $$). You could buy a small gift for Toys for Tots.

 

[Cantw8]

sorry, Christmas magic is out of stock and is on back order until June. Ho Ho Ho (not you, Hon..that's what Santa says)

 

[grinningghost]

Get involved in something Christmasy. Is that a word?

I kind of lost the Christmas magic when my DD got older, it's just not the same without little kids around.

Last year, I joined a ceramics class and I'm finally getting excited for Christmas again, as I'm MAKING Christmas presents in class - that's really helped me out. And trust me, I never did ceramics in my whole life, and started at age 40 - and my stuff comes out pretty good!

 

[Hercules10]

Any Xmas tree farms out there where you live? Going out and cutting our own tree was always a great spirit lifter...then we got dogs and hadda go fake.

 

[ElizaB39]

Any Xmas tree farms out there where you live? Going out and cutting our own tree was always a great spirit lifter...then we got dogs and hadda go fake.

This is a good idea. We have a Christmas tree farm that we go to every year. They have hayrides, hot chocolate and hot cider, a toy train display, and a gift shop. You wouldn't have to buy a tree, just enjoy the visit to the tree farm.

This will be our 14th year to the same tree farm.

 

[powellrj]

get out of the house and spend sometime doing Christmas type things.

There are lots of organzations begging for people to take kids christmas shopping and just spending time with them.

Ring bells for the salvation army. Perform at a Chrismas program, get out and see the lights!

 

[minkydog]

I can really identify with you--I lost a baby on Christmas Eve and it took a long, long time for me to recover my Christmas Spirit. First, keep it simple. Don't try too hard to make it happen. Second, close your eyes and try to remember what Christmas smells like. Cinnamon cloves stuckin oranges, Christmas cookies,pine branches, egg nog. Third, get the music going.

I began to get re-interested in Christmas when I started adopting foster children off the Angel Tree at K-Mart. A warm coat, some patent leather shoes, some blue jeans, playdoh, an Operation game(with extra batteries!) I began to imagine how this child would look opening his/her gifts. Slowly the magic came back.

You can get small pre-lit trees not too expensively. Start there, with a table top tree. Put some cinnamon sticks, apple juice and cloves in a pot and simmer on the stove. Egg nog is in the dairy case, next to the Pillsbury sugar cookies Chop a few branches on a holly bush and a pine tree and stick them in water. Tie Candy Canes to a long piece of red ribbon and tack it to the fireplace or over your kitchen door. keep it easy. Then on Christmas Eve do something meaningful to you-watch Mass on TV or ride around looking at lights and singing with the radio at the top of your lungs. Catch the old, old Dicken's "Christmas Carol". Light candles and stuff a few small stockings for someone you love. Take canned pet food and cat litter to a no-kill shelter. Perhaps you could include your mom & grandma on some of these things.

Christmas will never be like it was when you were a child. Never. Now it's time to make your own Christmas, in your heart.

 

[beckmrk04]

Perhaps volunteer for others less fortunate (soup kitchen, salvation army). If you are involved in a church, they likely have a gift tree, or take donations for meals (actual food items, not $$). You could buy a small gift for Toys for Tots.

Bake cookies, find a live nativity in your area, attend a church/school christmas concert, drive around at night and look at christmas lights.

I totally agree with this!!!!

There is NOTHING that can warm your heart and make you feel the Christmas spirit than by reaching out and helping those less fortunate than you (and there is ALWAYS someone less fortunate than ourselves). Buy a toy for a child that otherwise wouldn't get anything this holiday, and know in your heart that you did something good for a stranger.

I am SO into Christmas- by November 1st I'm itching to get out the decorations. I watch Christmas movies (Charlie Brown, Rudolph, Christmas Vacation, A Christmas Story, Elf.... just to name a few ); I listen to Christmas music incessantly. I drink cocoa and decorate the house with my DH and dress my dog in a ridiculous Mickey sweater (my 86 lb dog grumpily complies).

The whole world (or country at least) just seems nicer at Christmas. It's a time for charity and reflection and thanks, which is beautiful.

 

[Hannathy]

Don't start too early! That is the single most standout thing to me that differentiates Christmas now from when I was younger. I have fond memories of the magic of Christmas and how you had to get thru all the holidays leading up to Christmas and then BAM the morning after Thanksgiving you went downtown and the windows in the stores had magically overnight become Christmas scenes! I think we hurry it and drag it out too long now and it looses it's specialness. Celebrate the other Holidays and then embrace Christmas. Use the anticipation to help get you excited. Borrow the little girls and go Christmas shopping, take them to pick out something for them to give your friend from them,( take them to the dollar store, my kids love shopping there) help them wrap it,their excitement will be contagious. Good Luck it is hard when you loose someone, My Dad was a real Christmas nut and it was hard right after he was gone but now I try to remember how much fun he had with Christmas and tell my kids funny storie or Christmas tree disasters!

 

[laurajetter]

All these are great suggestions!

I would like to add watch a few classic cartoon specials... I will NEVER be too old for them and they always put me in the mood for Christmas!

The 3 I always watch are:

A Charlie Brown Christmas
How the Grinch Stole Christmas
Rudolph (the clay animation version)

There may be others, but these are my favorites!

Also one tip I have learned is not to let the over-commercialism of Christmas get you down. It started getting me down a few years back, and I would wince when I saw Christmas stuff being put on the shelves before it was even Halloween. But I now choose to ignore stuff like that, and to only celebrate it when I want and how I want. Anything else that I don't like about what it's become in our society I just pretend I don't see it... and only try to recreate the memories of how I enjoyed Christmases when I was young!

You will find the Christmas spirit if you try, especially if you take all the advice you've gotten here! Good luck!

Laura

 

[hiwaygal]

What worked for me was coordinating a "Christmas Family" at my office. I would contact a local social services organization right before Thanksgiving and ask if there was a family we could adopt for Christmas. They would give us a list of the childrens names and ages, clothing sizes, and any special things they wanted from Santa. I would also ask for name and clothing sizes for mom and dad too (I thought it was important for the kids to see that Santa did not forget mom and dad).

Then, those in the office who wanted to participate were given the option of buying something off the list, or contributing to the "general fund".

About a week before Christmas, I would collect all the presents and donations, finish shopping for the family, and we would have an office "gift wrapping party" to wrap and tag everything...then we would deliver it to the social service organization for delivery to the family.

I remember getting cards of thanks from one family, and one family (who knew who had adopted them) had their two little girls call my office phone and sing a Christmas Carol on my voice mail...made me cry.

Nothing is better to get back that spirit than to make the holiday special and happy for someone else!

I hope you find the spirit again for yourself!

 

[NAB]

I can relate to this , I do all the Christmas stuff still because I have two children. I lost my first husband a week before Christmas 15 years ago. Then miscarried a baby on that same date three years ago.

Christmas used to be my favourite holiday, shopping , baking cookies , watching the old Christmas movies. Family tradition is to be together with my family of 6 siblings and neices and nephews. About 36 people in all Christmas eve. Which includes Christmas Mass. I still do all these thing but it is not the same.

I too wish I could get the Christmas back. I think if we didn't have kids we would go away at this time.

Maybe what we need is to start a new tradition of some sort. Since you don't have children that would be new to you. Take them out or volunteer at a place the makes some ones Christmas special. It doesn't have to be kids either. Go to a retirement place and talk to those people who would love to talk to people about Christmas gone by.Let me tell you that will touch your heart. Did this with my kids class. Go back to the reason of Christmas. It isn't the tree, songs or movies. It is about giving.....

I really hope you get your spirit back. I know it is hard.

 

[Disneyland1084]

Sing Christmas carols and wish everyone a MERRY Christmas!