Christmas is here, and while people are buying gifts, planning parties, and attending holiday events, I can’t help but notice that not everything feels as it did when I was a child. Every year, Christmas has become less and less magical and a bit less full of Christmas spirit for me. With all that being said, there is one question that remains unanswered. 

Why?

One key aspect about where the Christmas spirit went is COVID-19, which disrupted long-standing traditions among extended families because of the health risks. Suddenly the holidays became a time of isolation, instead of connection.

During the first Christmas season of COVID-19, I was stuck at home celebrating Christmas with only my immediate family rather than with my distant relatives as well. The following year, I hoped we would be able to revert back to our family traditions of going on vacations with family and friends. But, as time went on, I realized that our traditions would never be the same, and that’s because of the disconnect created by the pandemic.

Moreover, the essence of the Christmas spirit has long been intertwined with the enchantment of snow. As NBC Chicago reported, we have not experienced a snowy Christmas since 2017, and even then, it was a mere 0.1 inches. I can recall only one instance when it snowed on Christmas, coinciding with the last time I truly felt the holiday spirit. Maybe the two are related or maybe they aren’t, but that white Christmas remains a vivid and fond memory. That time was free of worries of school and other responsibilities, allowing me to focus on the spirit of Christmas. 

However, I believe the loss of our childhood innocence has killed our holiday spirit.

 Christmas time always prompts nostalgia. We reminisce about past memories of family gatherings and our traditions. As I grew up, I found my nostalgia had evolved. My naive, young, self was always thinking about gifts or vacation. Nowadays, whether it’s our new isolation, the not-so-white Christmases, or stress of your responsibilities, it seems we’re all slowly losing the nostalgia we once felt as children. 

Looking back, I regret not cherishing the little things that made Christmas special.