Another holiday season is here, and with it the last gasps of the year that was.
I was always that child that couldn’t wait for Christmas to come. I would recon around the base of the tree looking for which gifts were marked for me.
In my family, partially at my urging, we had a tradition of opening Christmas presents on Christmas Eve. Christmas Day was reserved for gifts from Santa, sleeping in, and a big family breakfast.
Somewhere along the way, things changed. As I grew older, I lost the spark of the season.
I wouldn’t search around the tree quite so much, and I even began suggesting that we open our gifts on Christmas morning, more in the spirit of the season.
My suggestion fell on deaf ears.
My grandmother lived with us for a time when I was young, and then nearby as I got older; after a while, it was her who couldn’t wait until Christmas morning.
As I entered adulthood and my battles with my mental health, Christmas became less something to enjoy but more something to endure.
At my lowest points, I really did not like the season, for I felt it was too cheery, happy and commercialized.
While I no longer have the disdain for the season as I once did, it still isn’t my favourite time of year, but it has become more tolerable as my mental health has improved.
I think something that has helped with the change is that despite the overt commercialization of the season, my wife and I have found ways to step away from it and enjoy the season for what it is.
Instead of buying each other a bunch of dust-collecting junk that is going to end up on a shelf, we have decided to focus on experiences and more meaningful gifts.
Since she has it already, it is safe to share, for her present this year I “adopted” a platypus for my wife through the World Wildlife Federation. Seeing as the animal is the namesake of her store in Castor, the adoption definitely holds some value for her.
Otherwise, we get ourselves tickets to the Calgary Comic Expo every year, and we already have at least one concert lined up in the new year.
And while we don’t get each other big gifts anymore, we still do get the odd stocking stuffer, so there is something to open on Christmas.
Being a church member, I have come to realize that my faith is the reason for the season, not the gifts; the people around the tree on Christmas Day are more important than what is under it.
These changes in perspective have allowed me to actually get into and somewhat enjoy the Christmas season again.
From my house to yours, Merry Christmas.
- Kevin Sabo is the editor and reporter for the Bashaw Star, Castor Advance and Stettler Independent newspapers for Black Press Media.