When the Magic is Lost at Christmas
I’m coming to you from under a blanket on my couch after being taken out by the flu. And not, oh, I’m under the weather, I think maybe its the flu. I’m talking full bathrobe, can’t get out of bed, fever and chills….flu flu. It’s raged through our home, showing no sympathy over the fact that it’s Christmas, we had plans, and my parents are visiting. For full disclosure, all of these pictures are from years past…because I was too sick to take out my camera this last week
It happens to the best of us. We step into December with high hopes, our hearts full of festive cheer, our minds buzzing with plans for the perfect Christmas season. The traditions, the homemade gifts, the sparkling lights, the delight in our children’s eyes as they unwrap carefully chosen presents. But sometimes, despite our best intentions, the magic feels... lost.
Maybe it was the illness that swept through your home and derailed all your plans. Perhaps it was the disappointment of family conflicts or the weariness that comes with the holiday season. The cookies burned, the craft supplies spilled, and the beautiful Advent devotionals you ordered are still sitting unopened on the shelf. You find yourself asking, “Why does this feel so hard?”
The Weight of Christmas Expectations
As moms, we often carry a heavy load during Christmas. We want to create an atmosphere of joy and wonder for our children. We want them to understand the true meaning of the season while still delighting in the fun traditions. But in our quest for magic, we can lose sight of what truly matters. The weight of unmet expectations presses down, leaving us feeling like failures.
It’s in these moments, though, that we’re given an invitation to look deeper, to pull back the layers of tinsel (does anyone actually use tinsel anymore) and glitter and find the heartbeat of Christmas once again.
A Thrill of Hope
Now I know that you know…The beauty of Christmas isn’t found in our perfect execution of plans or in the picture-perfect moments we long for. It’s found in the unshakable truth that Christ came into our messy, broken world to bring hope. And you’re probably rolling your eyes at me this moment because of course, the meaning if Christmas is in Christ. Those placating words don’t help when you’re only goal is to get out of your bathrobe and maybe keep down a banana, but I need to hear is so I’ll be sharing it with you.
Christ didn’t wait for the world to get it together. He stepped into the imperfection, into the chaos, and He brought light. The wonder of Christmas isn’t something we create. It’s something we receive.
When the tree leans a little to the left because someone bumped it one too many times, when the cookies are overbaked, and when the sibling squabbles start up during your family nativity play, or when you’re spending Christmas watching Gilmore girls alone in bed because you can’t take your head off your pillow…Christ is still here. His arrival is still good news of great joy.
Practical Encouragement for the Weary Mom
If you’re feeling the weight of a less-than-perfect Christmas, here are a few simple ways I’m hoping to to find rest and joy:
Simplify Your Expectations In The Aftermath: Take a deep breath and let go of anything that feels like too much. Ask yourself: What are the things that truly matter to your family? Focus on those and let the rest go.
Lean Into Grace Give yourself permission to be human. Not every moment has to be magical. Your children will remember your love and presence far more than the details.
Re-center on Christ Spend time meditating on the truth of the Gospel. Read the nativity story together, light a candle, and sing a hymn. These small acts of worship can reorient your heart toward the hope we have in Him. You can do these any time of the year.
Find Joy in the Small Things Look for little glimpses of beauty. The sound of your children’s laughter. A warm cup of tea in the quiet of the evening. The twinkle of lights on a dark night. These are gifts, too.
The True Magic of Christmas
Christmas isn’t about our ability to create perfect memories. It’s about God’s perfect love reaching into our imperfect lives. When the magic feels lost, we can rest in the truth that His hope never is.
Let’s remember that our hope isn’t in a Pinterest-worthy Christmas or in getting everything right. Our hope is in the One who came to save us. And that hope is more beautiful, more magical, and more enduring than anything we could ever imagine.
but also..I want to feel human by Epiphany.
