I’m 10 again and the first snow seems magical–snowflakes dusting rooftops, the aroma of cinnamon and pine drifting through the air, and “Jingle Bell Rock” coming from the speaker in the kitchen. The house always glows with that familiar Christmas spirit, flickering candles in windows and strings of lights hanging around the Christmas tree. Me and my 5-year-old sister will surely bake something cozy like sugar cookies or brownies as the living room fills with the laughter of our family reminiscing over memories.
This was the familiar rhythm of Christmas at my house for as long as I could remember. Slower, quieter, more present.
In recent years, electronics (phones in particular) have snaked their way into every part of our holidays, as they have for many families. My sister and I both received our first electronics around the same time, and my parents get new electronics at least once a year. From the moment my sister and I had ours, there was a subtle shift in the holiday dynamic. Notifications chirped in, distracting from face-to-face conversations and family bonding.
The holidays haven’t necessarily lost their magic, but it is harder to notice when our attention is split between the people in front of us and the digital world.
Not too long ago there was no buzzing, no show playing in the background, no one sneaking away to check social media during family gatherings. Now, the glow of screens outshines the warm flickering of candlelight. Instead of gathering around the table for a shared story, we find ourselves half-listening and half-present.
Before phones became such an integral part of our lives, simple traditions brought us together in the best way. Every year, my mom, sister, and I have always gone to the Ralston Arena Craft Fair around the holidays. Seeing the Christmas decorations, the plethora of baked goods, and people bundled up in scarves and coats has always made me thrilled for the holidays.
Those small moments – baking together, Christmas shopping, sipping hot chocolate while watching our favorite holiday movies – used to feel like the heartbeat of the season. These were the moments that made the holidays feel magical and reminded us what it meant to be together. Even if the world felt busy or loud, Christmas always brought a sense of calm and comfort.
Now, I find myself longing for that stillness again. Sometimes I find myself watching friends and family members absorbed in their phones and iPads, and can’t help but feel like that magic is gone. The laughter, the warmth, the comfort of just being together.
This year, I want to bring that magic back. Not the perfect family photos or viral videos you see on social media, but the kind that comes from connecting with loved ones. I want to put my phone down and roll out cookie dough with my sister while my grandpa retells the same story we know by heart, and the Christmas tree lights glimmer softly behind us.
Doesn’t that sound inviting? Wouldn’t you like to challenge yourself to put your phone down and have a meaningful conversation with a family member, friend, or anyone special to you? Christmas should bring us together, not set us apart through awkward greetings and glancing at our phones for comfort.
Christmas magic isn’t something that disappears. It just waits, quietly and patiently, for us to look up from our screens and notice it again.
