Student shares the real meaning of Christmas

Lauren Young, Reporter

When you think of Christmas, you often think about Santa, snow, and gift exchanges. Children and teens create Christmas lists months before Christmas. By definition, Christmas is a Christian holiday celebrating the birth of Jesus through giving gifts, right?

In order to have the best Christmas, you do not need to be surrounded by gifts, but rather be surrounded by love. Some popular gifts this year include Alex and Ani bracelets, the new iPhone, clothes, makeup, and other items that will bring you only temporary happiness. Alex and Ani is just a fad, a short lived craze of overpriced bracelets. The new iPhone, an $800 phone that will most likely not work in two years, clothes that will be outgrown or out of style soon, $60 eye shadow pallets that expire in six months – these are all meaningless gifts that cost too much yet are supposed to determine how much someone cares, right? The more money someone spends on you, the more they love you, correct? Definitely not. The value of a gift should be about the effort put into getting or creating a gift.

Instead of spending the holiday break isolating yourself in your room planning how you will be spending your Christmas money, start creating memories with loved ones. What do you value more, beautiful memories you and your loved ones will treasure forever or a gift that has no emotional value? How much someone loves you is not accurately shown through Christmas presents.

Activities to do with loved ones

A Christmas tradition you and your loved ones should start this year is keeping a notebook. Have each member of your family write their favorite holiday memories created. As the years go on, this notebook will gain emotional value.

Another great bonding experience is to create your own Christmas ornaments to decorate the family tree together. Decorating is a great way to bond with your family over the holidays, whether it is decorating ornaments, gingerbread houses, or different rooms in your house. Not only will decorating bring the family together, but it will also cause you to feel extra festive.

Ways to give back

This Christmas you and your loved ones should donate items to a homeless shelter to help them keep warm during the cold nights this winter. If you are unable to donate money or items, you should try to spread sweetness to those in your community. Visiting a retirement home can really lift their spirits, especially if no one will be visiting them through the holidays. You do not need to have materialistic things to make others feel better. By simply smiling at others and wishing them a happy holiday is adding positivity to those who surround you.