Parenting

Get Email Updates

Parenting Bloggers

Parenting Guide

Alison Beaver Guide

Have a question? We're here to help. Ask the Community.

ASK

Free Newsletter

Receive the latest and greatest in women's health and wellness from EmpowHER!

Boomers: To Make Christmas Magic, Add Children And Stir

By Jody Smith HERWriter December 19, 2011 - 8:18pm
 
Rate This
2 comments View Comments
Parenting related image Photo: Getty Images

Christmas doesn't seem quite like Christmas without little kids on the scene. As a baby boomer looking back on Christmases that had magic and those that did not, I've seen that children were the key ingredient for enchantment.

When I was a kid, Christmas definitely felt like magic. We grew up with the whole Santa Claus thing.

Left our cookies and milk for Santa and carrots for the reindeer. Were thunderstruck to find empty plates and an empty glass in the morning. And toys.

Awesome.

When childhood was left behind, though the magic faded. Christmas settled in to being a nice time to get together, with its unique mixture of pleasures and pressures. Gifts were exchanged, but the bright-eyed delight never reappeared, for the giver or the recipient of the gifts.

I was pleasantly surprised to discover that some Christmas magic came back when we started having babies. Okay, maybe not so much at baby's first year, when they had no clue what was going on. But once they began to become aware -- Yeah, the magic was on.

My husband and I were the ones who were doing all the work to make the magic -- staying up late Christmas Eve to assemble a toddler's rocking chair or an older child's bicycle, filling stockings -- but the payoff next morning made the lack of sleep all worthwhile.

We got to see the bright-eyed delight from the other side this time and Man! It looked good. We got to see our children enthralled and enchanted.

Awsome.

Then after awhile, of course, our kids all grew up. Christmas magic once again faded. Christmas again became a nice time to get together, but childish excitement had been replaced by ... whatever happens to us adults.

Fortunately grandbabies have a way of bringing the magic back.

My grandsons live half-way across the country but there are glimmers of magic long distance anyway. Sending toys in the mail, sending gifts ordered online, sending money so their parents can pick out gifts and have more of the magic too ... No, it's not the same as being there but it's one heck of a lot of fun anyway.

Photos from cellphones, put on Facebook, help us to share in the Christmas magic once more.

 
Rate This
2 comments View Comments

We value and respect the experiences of all of our HERWriters, but everyone is different. Many of our writers are speaking from personal experience, and what's worked for them may not work for you. Their articles are not a substitute for medical advice although we hope you can gain knowledge from their insight.

Jody Smith HERWriter View Profile Send Message

Who am I and why am I here? Valid questions. I'd have to start, though, with -- who was I? Eighteen ...

http://www.ncubator.ca

Tags

Add a Comment2 Comments

Image
Anonymous

With lots of wonderful options of North Experience Jakcets Outlet, you will be ready for all seasons and all sorts of climate conditions.Obtainable in only about every single shade from pink to orange, sky blue to lime green, this slim coat undoubtedly delivers a bit a thing for everyone.Hat, the particular size can influence the actual degree involving in shape.Karen Millen Dresses Neck marriage ceremony this year set off the rate of growth in retro type with the appeal of asymmetric solitary glenohumeral joint wedding ceremony attracts everybody's consideration, once again going back to fashion trends.Within the cold of winter,it truly is essential to have the protection from North Encounter Jackets.They even touched the actual He Damon the particular Hollywood celebrity.
Business Hosting Reviews

May 28, 2012 - 12:40am
Image
Anonymous

With lots of wonderful options of North Experience Jakcets Outlet, you will be ready for all seasons and all sorts of climate conditions.Obtainable in only about every single shade from pink to orange, sky blue to lime green, this slim coat undoubtedly delivers a bit a thing for everyone.Hat, the particular size can influence the actual degree involving in shape.Karen Millen Dresses Neck marriage ceremony this year set off the rate of growth in retro type with the appeal of asymmetric solitary glenohumeral joint wedding ceremony attracts everybody's consideration, once again going back to fashion trends.Within the cold of winter,it truly is essential to have the protection from North Encounter Jackets.They even touched the actual He Damon the particular Hollywood celebrity.
Business Hosting Reviews

May 28, 2012 - 12:41am
Image CAPTCHA
By hitting submit, you agree to EmpowHER's terms of service and privacy policy

Improved

622 Health

Changed

294 Lives

Saved

213 Lives
4 lives impacted in the last 24 hrs Learn More

Take our Featured Poll

Do you eat your kids' Halloween candy? :
View Results