The holidays often bring a lot of stress for parents. There are countless activities to attend, family to see, a house to decorate, and gifts to buy. Mom and Dad spend so much time trying to make everything perfect for their children, which can sometimes take the fun out of the holiday season. In a world dominated by Christmas consumerism and excessive material gifting—where children receive too much stuff—it’s refreshing to look at the holiday through the eyes of a child.
The truth is, even without all the extravagant presents, kids are still able to see the magic in Christmas. While adults might rush past a house adorned with 50,000 lights, a child will be the one to remind them to stop and appreciate just how magical it is.
The Magic of Christmas Through a Child’s Eyes
Bottom line: children make Christmas special! If you don’t believe it, take a look at this list of things, seen through the eyes of children, that make this time of year so incredibly magical:
- The bells! The simplicity and beauty of bells are everywhere during the holidays. While mom might only see the bucket begging for change when she hears the bells, kids actually hear the beauty in their crystal-clear sound. One 9-year-old said to her mother, “Sure must be a lot of angels getting their wings this time of year!”
- The sheer fact that kids of all ages can believe in Santa and that the reindeer fly around the world in one night to deliver millions of presents is truly amazing. The world has created a fairy tale, a time of magic for children during the holidays. While, throughout the rest of the year, we work to teach our children common sense and responsibility, during Christmas, adults allow them to be children—to imagine and to believe. The best part is that they do! Through their belief in the magic of the holidays, adults can steal small pieces of it for themselves. It is children who create Santa, Frosty the Snowman, reindeer, elves, and the North Pole. If something so large can be created on such a grand scale by so many, it truly seems that world peace and an end to suffering isn’t out of reach.
- Have you ever watched a child try to pick out a special gift for their mother? Children remind us that presents aren’t just about spending money; they come from the heart. Kids find the simplest, most meaningful ways to not just give a gift to those they love, but also to share a piece of their heart along with it.
- Children help form traditions. What starts as a small, fun activity during the holidays can quickly become a tradition in a child’s eyes. Whether it’s making homemade gingerbread cookies, setting up an Elf on the Shelf, or serving something special at the holiday meal, these little things can define the holidays and pass from one generation to the next. Without children, these traditions wouldn’t exist. Remember, the traditions you start today can live on long after you’re gone if you share them with a child.
- During no other time of year is music so prevalent. There’s nothing quite as special as hearing children joyfully sing some of the most beautiful songs of the season. Across the world, choruses of children—who might otherwise be shy or reserved—sing about Christ, Santa, and the joy of the holidays, uniting generations through the simplicity of song.
- Christmas morning is most magical when shared with a child. Sure, it starts early, but it’s filled with promise, hope, excitement, and raw happiness that sparkle like glitter. The feeling children have on Christmas Eve and Christmas morning is hard to recreate as an adult, but it’s easy to experience again when you have a child in your life.
- Children also make Christmas special for adults by allowing them to reconnect with their inner child. No matter what kind of Christmas you had as a child, you can experience an even better one as a parent.
- While children are known for wanting gifts and constantly asking for things during the holidays, they can also surprise adults with their gratitude. Too often, we peg our kids as materialistic and self-centered. Yet, when Christmas arrives, we see just how giving their hearts are and how thankful they can be.
- Children give the gift of family during the holidays. Without them, your family would be smaller, and they often serve as the bridge between generations. Children help parents see their own parents in a new light, which can be both healing and transformational.
Many people say that the holidays are for the kids, that children are the reason so many people go to great lengths to make everything perfect. However, it seems that the childhood memories and the magic that exists during this time of year—memories that make us all want to be children again—are at the heart of the holiday spirit. It’s not just our own children, or the children of others, who make this season so special. Most importantly, it’s the child within each of us that brings the true magic of Christmas to life. And this is the perfect time of year to allow that inner child to shine.
