Christmas is More than Just a Day

Yesterday was the 12th consecutive year where I have been able to celebrate Christmas as a parent. Being a parent in today's age is harder than ever with social media and technology. I am currently writing this blog from the perspective of a dad, but I am also writing it in hopes that my daughter will read this blog as a parent to reflect on her Christmas experience as a child.

Everything is photographed, shared, evaluated, and priced for the approval of others. This is a direct result of what happens when your kid gets a phone and social media becomes a part of their lives.

Christmas morning as a dad is a bit different than for a mom as well.

In many cases, I speak for most fathers regarding their reactions on Christmas morning as their kid(s) open their presents.

• How much did that cost?

• Did we agree to this?

• We now have "insert #"of these in different colors?

• I will see that in the donation pile in Q1 or early Q2.

• I need to register it online?

• No one told me I needed to get batteries or that it needed to be charged.

• Where are the receipts?

My daughter asked me last year why I am never in the Christmas spirit and I reminded her that I have no spirit at 4 AM. I also remind her that I like to purchase experiences for the family. It's why I like to travel and really don't struggle with paying for it. Unlike Christmas presents, you can store experiences in figurative spaces and most of those spaces have low storage costs. Memories of experiences are tangible and easy to find unlike the must have clothes/shoes your tween have been asking for the past month. It's part of the reason why I started this blog.

Christmas is my second favorite holiday of the year. I will blog about my favorite holiday later on in 2023. The quality of the food pushes Christmas to the top because it gives me an extended opportunity to take a break from work, count our blessings, gain some fellowship, make memories, laugh, and celebrate with youth as they open their presents.

It's proximity to the end of the year also makes it an apex time for reflection. To my daughter, I will always continuously remind her that Christmas is the time to be thankful for our health, our blessings, old friends, new friends, and the family and friends who have recently passed.

Sentimentalism should always weigh more than consumerism every day. Christmas shouldn't be any different just because there is an extensive exchange of presents.