Does your Christmas perspective change as you age?

For some odd reason, I think I am excited about Christmas all year around now. Perhaps it is because I shop the clearance aisles at stores looking for a good deal on something for someone in my family. I get excited about gift giving and about good deals, so the combination of the two just makes it even better. When I was a kid, I didn't even think about Christmas until Thanksgiving. It was so far away, and when you are a kid a couple of months is a lot larger percentage of your life than when you are older. LOL I guess that's why it seems to just jump up on me now. That's why I have to try to think about it a lot sooner I guess.

I've always looked forward to the Holidays, specially Christmas. Back then when I was young,I look forward listening to all those Christmas Carols and yes Santa and the gifts! I'm happy then eating all those candy canes and all those chocolate coated treats :) And yes, I'm just soo excited when we get to finally bring out the Christmas tree and decorate it. Then as I grew older, Christmas has become that time of the year, that gets me to look back at all the things that have happened in the year. The good and the bad times, how I managed to finally get through it with the company of my family and friends. Such a nice feeling to get to celebrate the real meaning of Christmas. :)

I loved Christmas when I was little, it was the most exciting and magical time of year. As I got older it got less and less exciting and ceased being magical all together. Now I actually really do not care for Christmas at all. It is more a pain in the butt than anything else. I think that once we have kids that will change though. I think when it's about them the magic will come back.

Hello Oasis. What a nice topic for discussion :) I do think our perspective on many things change as we mature. Birthdays, for instance...I enjoy those of others more than my own, even though as a child or a young woman, I love mine. It hasn't so much to do with getting older, but just a change in values. Just as I enjoyed the gifts I got at Christmas time more than anything when I was a kid, I do remember a great sense of accomplishment the first time I had earned my own money and could buy presents for my parents when I was a teen. These days, and given the state of the world, my focus is more on peace, spiritually, and the joy of giving handmade gifts and sharing a meal with loved ones. Spirituality seems to be a major focus in many areas as I've matured. I hope you embrace some joy and enthusiasm as the holidays approach. It truly is more blessed to give than receive, even if the gifts are humble. And embracing the spirit of a season of hope and goodwill can help take the sting out of some of the hard times. I also love donating things for the needy this time of year, or making anonymous donations. Take care and bless you, Karen

Yes of course because when i was a kid I was the one who wait fo the gifts and food that are served. Now that I am old, I am the one who gives away gifts and i am also the one who prepare foods for the christmas. But I appreciate christmas when I was an adult than being a child because of the spirit and the joy of being together of my family.

This topic definitely hits home for me. When i was young, the reason i loved christmas was because of Santa Claus, waking up to find presents, and being around my family. Although i do not believe in Santa Claus anymore, which is a major bummer, or do not wake up to find presents i did not put there. I still love being around my family, listening to christmas music, and just the feeling of togetherness is my favorite part. The part about growing up is, you give. Rather than when you were smaller all you did was recieve. When you get used to it, it makes you feel really good. Like watching your child's eyes sparkle as they open exactly what they wanted for Christmas. And getting the kids to do chores the first time i ask for a month or two. Teehee.

The world has commercialized Christmas too much. We see it differently when we are younger. As we mature in God, we see it for the holy day it is, and see things differently.

yes, i was like you because i used to love presents and whatnot and being an only child i used to get a lot. now, while i do still love getting presents, my joy is focused on other things such as the music and christmas lights. i also find that relatives expect expensive presents and since hubby lost his job, we dont have lots of money, so that stresses me out some.

Christmas has changed for me too. As a kid, there was this special feeling knowing it was only a few days away, seeing houses and stores with decorations. When it was Christmas day, holiday specials of TV shows aired all day. I wake up and couldn't wait to open my presents. Now older, it feels like just another day.

well i am about to be 26 in 3 days and i have 2 boys. Every year it seems like i get more excited not just for me but for the kids. I like opening presents and i like to see the expression on their faces as they open their gifts. although i will have to find a new hiding spot for any christmas gift that i buy early becuase my 5 year old has the same expression for every gift because he already knows what half of the gifts are. But when i was little christmas was a big thing in my immediate family as well as my other relatives. My mom did the everything the tree, stockings, snow flakes, peppermints hanging from the tree, cookies and milk for santa. And every christmas eve we got to open one gift early. Then the next morning we all would get up about 6 am, we would all pray and thank god for allowing us to wake up on the day his son was born and then we would open up our gifts. Now the one thing i didnt enjoy was that because my mom was always trying to take pictures of every gift we opened we each had to take turns opening one gift at a time just so she could get a pic of everybody's gifts. I love christmas i always start christmas shopping in the beginning of november.

Your perspective certainly does change as you age. When you're little kid you are good because Santa Claus is coming and you get lots of presents on Christmas morning. Then you find out Santa Claus is a big fat fake and you have been deceived. As you get older you have to start buying presents for other people which costs a lot of money and that's all that shopping in preparation to do which most people enjoy. As you get older still Christmas becomes the time when you remember your parents and loved ones that happened I and all you have are memories of the good times you had with them at Christmas time. Some overweight people find Christmas difficult and all the compulsion to eat because there is food everywhere and lots of it. I think as you get older unless you have a big family you tend to lose that Christmas spirit.

Although the Christmas celebrations here in India are not that much but the New Year eve which follows is celebrated cheerfully.I totally agree with you that with age we become more lesser excited towards the festivals.I remember how we used to decorate our houses,exchanged gifts,did a lot of shopping before the New Year eve,but since the past few years we all have not been so excited about it.

Hi oasis: for me Christmas represents good feelings and happiness, off course there's the food but the whole feeling, it's the time where you can take a little time for you to enjoy with the family, to watch tv, everything seems better on Christmas definetly

When i was seven, we had small fifts like clothes, tickets, 10 dollars...Now children have an xbox 360, an iphone, a playstation3, a nintendo DS, a psp...(Lots of video games. But christmas is not just super gifts.We ate in christmas chickens, cakes... Now, we eat outside in restaurants for party Christmas changes a lots So good Christmas and sorry for my bad english (I'm moroccan) Bye

When I was a child the best thing about christmas was the presents. I was so excited, and I was really impatient while we were eating our christmas dinner (in my country we open the presents on Christmas Eve when we have finished eating the christmas meal) Now I don't really care about the presents. I like to pick out or make presents for others, but when they ask me what I want for christmas I never know what to say Now the best thing about christmas is the time that I spend with my family, and I enjoy the Christmas dinner more than the presents. I am really grateful that both of my grandmothers are present on Christmas Eve. They are 92 and 83, and I don't know how many years they will be able spend christmas with us, so every year is precious to me.

I really love Christmas, and I especially look forward to shopping for gifts. Unfortunately, I've been having lots of problems lately that right now I'm not that thrilled about Christmas. But even so, I'm sure that when Christmas finally arrives I'll still enjoy it.

I used to when younger couldn't wait for Christmas to come around. But now it is like oh no . But I do still go all out because I have a son to celebrate it with and a husband. But it doesn't seem to be as exciting as it was when I was younger. I do however look forward to Christmas for the good food .

We always celebrate Christmas ever since I was a child.When I was a child, I am very excited when is Christmas is past approaching because of some gifts to receive but now when I grow old it seems no excitement anymore and just celebrating.

hi oasis, i have never spent a big christmas in china. but we view the lunar new year to be a big festival in china. i still remember how we celebrated the biggest festival. we kids got together to play a lot games and fireworks. girls talking and showing our new clothes. boys playing cards. it was so happy, and we still get together on holiday. that's what i am most interested.

I used to be so excited for Christmas too. Especially when I begin seeing all those decorations and Christmas lights. Ten years ago, I believe that Santa Claus is true and even try to wait for him until 12 midnight. But my parents would always say that if I stay up until 12, he won't come and I won't gave any presents. But now everything has changed. And I'm not so excited with Christmas as much as I was before.