Skibidi Anonymous Babe: Christmas Presents or Presence?

The Christmas holiday season is one of my favorite times of the year. My parents have always put so much effort into making this season a very magical experience. To the point that, one year, on Christmas Eve, I was awakened by my visiting aunt in the middle of the night to see Santa on the roof of our house! Just when I was getting to an age where I started to question a lot of things, I was brought back into belief. Maybe my parents didn't get all the things right while I was growing up, but they sure got Christmas right (hahaha)! I have been truly blessed!

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I have so many amazing memories from my childhood that I associate with this season. The family traditions, like our seasonal Santa sightings (as I mentioned above), putting up and decorating the tree, the Christmas Eve pajamas, the Christmas Eve "Ball", the children acting out the nativity scene (which always turned out to get a few chuckles), the warm music, the laughter and games, the baking and cooking, the festive smells, the parties, dinners, and joyous times with family, the ugly Christmas sweaters, the vibrant and creative decorations, going on drives to see the lights, the surprising and not so surprising gifts... and waking up on Christmas morning to all those presents under the tree... all hold a special place in my heart. Now, I am on the other side of the magic. Instead of experiencing it, like I did as a child, I'm on the side of creating it, like my parents did for me. I recognize and greatly appreciate the time, effort, and imagination they put into making this holiday season so extra special. And they continue to do so...

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Adulting has been tough, though. I have lost myself in the stress of adulting. Even though I can sense the magic about me, I haven't been able to truly be "present" to enjoy it. My mind has been caught up on struggles with my health (I have autoimmune diseases), on the bills that need to be paid, and how much I need to get done each day before I can sit down and relax. Even when I get the time to chill, my mind falls back to all those responsibilities and how I'm going to get what needs to get done. I want to put my phone down, shut down my computer, put all that stuff aside, and focus on the people around me and the precious time I get with them. What I want for Christmas as an adult is much simpler than what I wanted as a child, though I relish in the memories. I want to be present for the magic again. I want to enjoy the little things, like watching a Christmas movie with my family and drinking hot chocolate. I don't expect many presents under the tree for me, but I do hope I can give something special to someone else in a way that will be truly magical and memorable for them. I want to make someone smile. I want to see the surprise in the children's eyes when they open their presents on Christmas morning. And I want to give back to my parents in a way that will make them proud and feel joy.

This year for Christmas, I want to be present.

Merry Christmas!