Christmas is a wonderful, but stressful time of the year. With family coming together, presents being delivered, and family dinner being made, it’s a jolly time of year. Though, during this holiday season emotions are heightened while trying to preserve the “Perfect Christmas”. So, why do we yearn for the perfect Christmas?
During seasonal times we expect things to be perfect, but for some it may be to the contrary.
“It’s not super important to me,” says Luca Jalagonia, a freshman at Stafford High School. “It doesn’t take the joy out of Christmas” For Luca, the perfect Christmas is spending time with his family and not doing anything while opening presents.
Jalagonia’s perspective is a shared perspective with many others, especially younger people. While television ads and social media show us the best Christmas gifts and decorations, more people are starting to realize that Christmas is more than just “perfection”. It’s also about enjoying time with your loved ones and being able to have fun.
But for others, like Clarissa Dehaba, a ninth grade student at Stafford Senior High School a perfect Christmas involves a mix of family, weather, and traditions.
“A perfect Christmas would be snow on the ground, still snowing, friends actually being in town so you can hang out with them, but still hanging out with family in the mornings and having dinner and stuff,” she says. Though, she doesn’t mind if Christmas is perfect or not. “I think all Christmases are good. Like, yes they’re not perfect, but nothing is.”
For many people the idea of Christmas might mean different things. But it often involves peers around you. “I’m definitely more of a family person during Christmas,” Dehaba says, adding that there’s always more time to spend with friends. Especially when there’s time for sledding.
Instead of stressing about having a “perfect Christmas”, we should focus on the true meaning of the season– being with people we love, making memories, and enjoying those special moments with our loved ones.[/video]
Similar to Clarissa, Jayden Hilliards, a sophomore at Stafford Senior High School says that the perfect Christmas for him is about being with those whom he cares about. “And good food to eat with your family. And getting gifts for others you care about and hope they like them,” Hilliards adds.
But, like Luca and Clarissa, Jayden admits that Christmas doesn’t have to be without flaws. “A less perfect Christmas would probably be not being able to be with the ones you love the most,” he shares.
“And there’s this one Christmas about two years ago where it snowed a lot, the power went out, and I was really sick—that was not cool,” Hilliards added. Even with this set back, Jayden still believes that the holiday is about more than just perfect circumstances.
These students alike think that it’s clear that Christmas isn’t about perfection. It’s about the people you get to create memories with and spend time with. Whether it’s a calm day like Luca’s, a snowy traditional holiday like Clarissa’s, or a day about family like Jaydens– the true joy of Christmas is how we shape and form it in our own special ways.
Instead of stressing about having a “perfect Christmas”, we should focus on the true meaning of the season– being with people we love, making memories, and enjoying those special moments with our loved ones.
