Looking for the .... Magic

The magic of Christmas.

That’s what Amy and I had as our topic for the blog this week. It was a pre-pandemic world when we came up with that idea. Now, looking forward to a Zoom Christmas, I thought what does that even mean? I consulted with Amy, because Amy is all about the magic of Christmas. She will tell anyone willing to sit still for five minutes, that the Santa Claus in the Macy’s day parade is the REAL Santa. I know Amy well, and let’s just say she’s a teensy bit prone to hyperbole but, I figured, ok, let’s give it a whirl.

So I’ve been thinking about it this week. Looking..for..the..magic.

Well...I lost a little piece of one of my favorite candy cane earrings and lo! it came back to me while vacuuming! Umm, is that the magic of Christmas?

Our littlest two and a half month old grandson finally decided to take a bottle just days before his very diligent breastfeeding mom’s return to work! So, is that the magic of Christmas?

My husband and I, having reached a crescendo in tolerating so much pandemic time together, entered into therapy. To both of our astonishment, we have fallen deeper in love and seem to find each other endlessly fun to be with. All this stemming from the phrase, ‘Be kind. Don’t panic. Have faith.’ Is that the magic of Christmas?

Living dangerously, we had our two oldest grandchildren over to decorate Christmas cookies. Through all the icing, sprinkles and red hots, one moment shines through for me. The two year old completed a magnificent cookie specimen and I encouraged him with my standard “You go, baby!” He immediately echoed in his sweet little Whoville voice, “You go, baby!” I thought I would melt and indeed, I felt my grinch heart swell. Maybe...that is the magic of Christmas?

Sharing a new trail through the woods with my daughter and our friend, we discovered random bushes and branches covered with bright white, snow crystals. Seriously, even to the naked eye, we could clearly see the architectural structure of these fascinating crystals. There had been no snowfall yet, all the woods were bare and brown, except for these random patches. The three of us were amazed and flitted from one to the next trying to understand the how and why of this natural beauty. Is that the magic of Christmas?

I have a close friend who had back surgery this month and her recovery is proceeding much better than expected. She credits her recovery to the powerful beam of love that she was caught in prior to her surgery. She’d sent out a request of support, and was humbled by the response and just before the surgery, she could really feel the power of love only. She took that deep sense of warm love and positivity and talked about it with her anesthesiologist and surgeon - and they were moved by her. She feels changed by having asked for help and having received it. Could that be the magic of Christmas?

I kinda think it is. I think all of these are examples of the magic of Christmas.

When I google ‘The Magic of Christmas’ I found that according to mindspirit.com Christmas-time allows us to sense, with awe and wonder, the majesty of the world around us.

Awe. Wonder. Majesty.

That sounds right. I believe the magic is our very own sense of awe; our own ability to wonder; and our own sensing into the majesty of our little red and green trimmed, singular blue planet spinning around the sun at unbelievable speed.

Maybe Amy is right. Maybe that really is the REAL Santa Claus in the Macy’s parade?

I wonder.