When you are little, Christmas morning means popping out of bed at the crack of dawn, tiptoeing through the house to your parents room and bursting in to wake them up. The only thing on your mind was what presents Santa brought you.

You begin to contemplate what the actual meaning of Christmas is, and how it’s heavily associated with being with your loved ones.

Clara Hook, sophomore, said, “As a child, you know, it’s all giddy and happy because they’re naive to the fact that most of what they believe about Christmas is potentially not real.”

As you grow up, the surprise aspect of Christmas starts to slip away. You start knowing where your presents come from, eliminating the mystery of Santa, which in turn slowly pushes away the simple wonder associated with childhood.

The magic of Christmas starts to shift to stress as reality kicks in. As a teen, you have to start worrying about academics, college applications, and jobs — all of which can cause your holiday spirit to fizzle out.

Maxwell Douglas, sophomore, said, “Honestly with all the school stuff I’ve had this year, I wasn’t really thinking of Christmas. I’m still excited but it’s just not really the same as it used to be.”

Teens try to act like they’re “too cool” to be excited for Christmas, but it’s just a way to protect themselves from potential backlash from others. The enthusiasm for Christmas might start to be seen as embarrassing or even childish.

Teens can also start to feel the weight of family obligations and gatherings. Christmas family dinners may start to feel awkward or tedious. Family members you’ve never met ask you millions of questions.

There are many factors that affect the loss of the Christmas spirit, but it does not mean that people will no longer enjoy Christmas. 

It’s important to allow for Christmas to evolve as you grow and not let its magic fully slip away.

Use it as a time to be with the people you love in a chill, peaceful environment; or if your family is a little crazy, have fun within the chaos.

As you feel the magical essence of Christmas, it’s important to do your part to keep its spirit alive.

Start volunteering your time to help others. Take time to look for local charities, soup kitchens, and food banks that need an extra hand during the holiday season. You can also help organize donations and fun holiday themed fundraisers.

Create festive care packages, with an assortment of toiletries, warm clothing and blankets for people who are experiencing homelessness. 

Make cards for senior citizens or veterans. Visit nursing homes and maybe host a holiday themed bingo, or movie night.

Organize a neighborhood holiday parade, which is not only fun to get to be in and see, but it also allows for your community to work together creating something uplifting and heartwarming for everyone.

If you are an older sibling or have younger cousins, help build that magic for them: make an elf on the shelf, or be their secret Santa; help them bake cookies to give to Santa and eat the cookies once they fall asleep, so they wake up thinking Santa ate them.

There are so many little things you can do to keep that Christmas magic flowing through everyone around you. By helping others find that magic, you are indirectly restoring it within yourself. The Christmas spirit should never fully fade. Even if it doesn’t feel the same, let yourself enjoy the new feelings.