Making Spirits Bright

As I sit here in the quiet of the early morning, twinkling lights on the tree, paper snowflakes hanging from the ceiling, a lush mantle, a bin full of Christmas books for my girls to read at their leisure, and tiny scraps of wrapping paper strewn around the floor, I have come to realize it has always been important to me to build traditions and foster memories that are gilded in magic. Childhood is a time of such wonder and curiosity, and the holiday season leans in to these in a major way. It is wonder that allows kids to be open to new things, to explore. And exploration offers new perspectives. This year I can feel the power of that wonder more acutely. My oldest child is approaching the end of childhood and the beginning of adolescence, while the others are right behind her. We know that our time is limited for when our girls shift into becoming part of the magic, not just recipients of it. I find that I have mixed feelings about this change. There is something so incredible about being a magic maker for your family, however it is equally incredible being surrounded by magic. The first Christmas I had without magic, and the way I longed for it, still stands out in my memory. It wasn’t that I was upset about understanding the reality, I just longed for the time when magic was my reality. I suspect this is a piece of what drives me to protect it so fiercely for my girls…

Read the full post on my substack and subscribe to stay up to date on new posts!