I’m sure that many of us have experienced the “magic” of Christmas epitomized by watching a child open a long-desired present, sharing a feast with friends or family, or simply enjoying the decorations and lights. Whether in person or on a made-for-TV movie, there is something special about the Christmas season. But what happens after the season is over?
For some, Christmas ends on December 26th. For Catholics, however, the celebration continues all the way until the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord. Because Christmas is central to our salvation history—God becoming human to show us how to become like God—how do we maintain the Christmas spirit all year round?
First, Christmas magic has an element of surprise; we don’t know what that wrapped box contains until we open it. Perhaps the key to keeping Christmas alive for the rest of the year is to approach life with a spirit of wonder and awe. Look for the surprises in life as opportunities to encounter God. How is God communicating with us through those unexpected events?
Second, don’t wait until another major holiday to get together with friends or family. Break out the good china, silver, and crystal, and use them more often. Host dinner parties throughout the year and celebrate your relationships. Take time to break away from the ordinary and do something extraordinary.
Third, relive happy occasions by reviewing scrapbooks and photo albums. Share stories! Periodically, think about how the magic of Christmas inspired you as a child. In the musical “Mame,” there is a scene where the family has fallen on hard times in the midst of the depression. They decide to decorate the house while singing the song “We Need a Little Christmas.” When you are in the doldrums of life, think back to Christmases past and relive the good times. As trite as those “Live, Laugh, Love” wall hangings are, there is some truth to that saying. Magic happens when we choose to live, when we choose to laugh, and most of all, when we choose to love.
After we put the decorations away, get back to normal life, and settle into the tunnel months of ice and snow, keep the magic of Christmas going by engaging in those activities that give life and invite you to love all people more fully. In reality, the magic of Christmas remains, but we need to awaken it each and every day by deliberately embracing our relationships with God and others by spending less time on what doesn’t really matter in life and giving more of ourselves to what inspires and challenges us. This enables us to worship God more fully so we can love all more deeply.