I have always loved celebrating holidays. Ever since I was a kid, I loved putting on a special outfit, whether it’s a Spider-Girl Halloween costume or a red and green plaid Christmas dress, and going to my grandma’s house to celebrate with my family. 

When I was about 14 or 15, I noticed that holidays didn’t feel the same. I didn’t have words to dictate why or how they felt different, they just did. I would put on my fancy Christmas Eve dinner dress, do my makeup and go to my grandma’s house, but I didn’t feel that same sense of wonder. I soon concluded that this must just be a part of growing up. As we mature into adults, we are burdened by a number of responsibilities and have less time or energy to devote into celebrating holidays like we did as kids. 

I was devastated by this realization. I loved the feeling of sitting around the Christmas tree and opening presents with my family. It was never about the gifts themselves, it was about the feeling of celebrating with family. 

When I came to college, I missed spending time with my family every day. My family has become close over the past few years, and it sucked to not see them and spend ordinary moments with them like eating dinner or watching TV. Those normal moments had become special to me, and I hadn’t realized until they were gone.

When it came time for the Christmas of my freshman year, I was nervous about how it would feel. That sounds silly, but I wanted to make the most of the limited time I had with my family during winter break. I spent intentional time with my family and avoided distractions, like the endless doom scroll on social media, by putting away my phone and laptop whenever possible. 

I realized that yes, holidays are still fun, and you can do things to make them feel like they did when you were a kid. Last year, I decorated my Christmas tree with my sister and mom a few days after Thanksgiving. We put on a Christmas movie and spent an hour or so talking, laughing and preparing our home for the holidays. This was such a special moment that I was able to share with my family by being in that moment. 

Intentionality has become important in my life as I have gotten older. Being intentional about the way I spend my time, especially with people that I love, has made my relationships richer and my days fuller. If I’m watching a movie with my boyfriend, I will put my phone on “do not disturb” mode and set it in my drawer to be fully present in that moment with him. If I’m getting lunch with my friend, I will make sure to put away my laptop so I can have an engaging conversation with them. This even applies to when I am alone. Watching one of your favorite movies and relaxing is time better spent than two hours in bed scrolling on your phone.

Going into this holiday season, I want to remind you to be intentional with the way you spend your time. Spend time with those you love and don’t take things too seriously. Rather than lamenting that holidays don’t feel the same as they did you were a kid, embrace that change and make holidays fun for yourself again. 

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