“Just remember, the true spirit of Christmas lies in your heart.”- Polar Express.
Christmas. My absolute favorite. I am the girl who starts listening to Christmas music in October, and watching Hallmark Christmas movies shortly thereafter. Ever since I can remember, I have had this intense joy for the holiday. And the older I get, the more I realize that it is the feeling of Christmas that I cherish so much. It is a feeling unable to be expressed in words, but rather in a shared nostalgia that I am sure we can all relate to in one form or another. The nostalgia of family, traditions, recipes, places, and anticipation. A time that seems to stand still. A time that no matter where life takes us, still feels familiar.
And now, at 20 years old, I ask myself: why do I love Christmas just as much now as I ever have? Well, I think the answer lies in this: Christmas has a way of reminding us. Reminding us about who we are, who we want to be, and why we are here. It reminds us that room will always be made for the things that are the most precious in life. And Christmas can be found everywhere when you look for it. From the streets of New York City, to the snowy mountains of Maine, to the shores of the Caribbean (as Jimmy Buffet would say “ho, ho, ho and a bottle of rum, Santa’s run off to the Caribbean, He thinks about boat drinks and fun in the sun, ho, ho, ho and a bottle of rum”)…. it can be found anywhere and everywhere.
And so, on this Christmas Eve, I hope that you are able to find that warm, familiar, nostalgic feeling and hold onto it. I hope that you can find joy in the smallest of moments, traditions, and places- because that’s what it’s all about. And remember that Christmas….it’s a feeling. One of the most wonderful feelings in the world. Enjoy every moment of it.
A Paige From My Book 