The "magic of Christmas" evokes wonder, surprise, enchantment.

 

Christmas is an explosion of lights, glittering decorations, trees and nativity scenes that tell ancient stories. It is a time of fantastic stories, of reindeer and sleighs, of Grinches and chocolate factories, of songs, of films to watch from the couch, with a soft blanket to warm us and lit fireplaces. It is the smell of freshly baked cookies, the rustle of bingo cards and the atmosphere of charity parties. It is celebration and repetition of traditions that create connection: from opening gifts to preparing special foods, to religious ceremonies that unite families.

Christmas is childhood memories, which bring with them the scent of wonder, celebration, surprise…of feeling part of a bigger whole. Christmas is (re)connection, even with ourselves: through reflection and introspection we can open up hope and renewal.

 

The emotions we feel at Christmas intertwine and overlap, like the shapes and colors of a kaleidoscope.

 

At Christmas there is the joy of meetings, of gifts chosen with love, of laughter that resonates in the rooms, of playing, of doing things together. There is compassion, the generosity of sharing food, listening, warmth, hospitality… even with those who do not belong to the close circle of our friends or family, with those who are going through difficult times.

But at Christmas there is also the nostalgia of memories, the melancholy of the absence of those who can no longer celebrate with us; the sense of guilt towards the people who have been deprived of the serenity of being able to rejoice; the sadness of loneliness and illness, both physical and mental; the stress of organizing. Anxiety about expectations can then generate fear of disappointment; the internal conflict between the need to balance work and family relationships can increase tension.

 

Christmas is full of different and even contrasting emotions, for each of us. To live it fully, it is essential to recognize and welcome all these emotions, both the pleasant and the unpleasant ones, learning to share both joy and melancholy, both festivity and the sense of impotence, to experience, in an even deeper way, the magic.

 

Welcoming our emotions and welcoming, in a broad sense, makes us human.

Freeing our emotions and liberating, in a broad sense, makes us human.

(For)giving and (for)giving ourselves makes us human.

 

My wish for this Christmas is that humanity awakens in each of us and wants to shine, so as to light up every home in the world with celebration.