There was a time when Christmas felt like pure magic. The lights shimmered with a golden warmth that made even the coldest nights feel cozy. The soft, incandescent glow wrapped homes in comfort, and everything about the season carried a special kind of excitement. Snow seemed to fall softer, music sounded richer, and the days leading up to Christmas were filled with wonder, imagination and traditions that made the holiday feel alive.
The season had a glow that made the world feel warmer and somehow more connected. But as the years have gone by, that magic seems to have dimmed. The glow isn’t quite the same, and the feeling of warmth and nostalgia has been replaced by something colder and more modern. Maybe part of it is just growing up, but it also feels like the world around us has changed, and Christmas has changed with it.
Now the soft warm hues of incandescent bulbs have been replaced by sharp and sterile LED lights. They may be more efficient, longer lasting, energy-saving and perfectly in sync to blink in rhythm with Christmas songs. But something about them feels too bright, too perfect and too modern. The old lights used to glow faintly, and you could almost feel the warmth radiating from them when you stood near them. Whether that was the warmth of the holiday spirit or just the bulbs seconds away from blowing a fuse, who knows, but it sure felt magical. LEDs might shine brighter and longer but they don’t glow, they don’t comfort, and they don’t embody Christmas spirit.
Back then, part of the excitement came from the waiting. As kids, we’d spread toy catalogs across the living room floor, circling the things we dreamed of finding under the tree. My sister and I had our favorites of course, the American Girl Doll magazine filled with dolls, outfits and little sets we could imagine playing with for hours, the Target magazine with every toy imaginable from Barbies to Legos, and of course the Toys “R” Us catalog. Flipping through those pages felt like felt like getting a taste of Christmas early and sparked the excitement for what was to come.
And then there were the little family traditions that made it all feel special. My mom always wrapped Santa’s presents in the same red-and-white striped paper with a green bow, just like in the movie “The Polar Express.” I was obsessed with that movie. I remember wanting a toy train that circled the base of the Christmas tree and a bell from Santa’s sleigh just like the boy from the movie, and my parents made that magic happen.
Now, everything is digital. One click, one cart, one shipment away. Convenience has replaced the anticipation. There’s no more flipping through pages, no more circling everything you love in a thick black sharpie, or the thrill of spotting the one thing you’ve been dreaming of.
Everything’s faster now, but in speeding up, we’ve lost the slowness that once made the season so special. Back then, the quiet part of Christmas was in the waiting and anticipation, while the hustle and bustle was left to the parents, running around town for trees, lights and gifts for everyone from grandma to the youngest niece or nephew.
I can remember curling up on the couch with my family, watching Christmas movies in the soft, dim glow of the tree lights, something we still do till this day. That’s when I feel the deepest sense of nostalgia, when time seems to stand still and we’re watching the same movies we always have. Those are the moments I want to hold onto and cherish forever.
There was a time when putting out reindeer food, going to bed knowing what you’ll wake up to, and half-eaten cookies on a plate could send a child’s heart racing. The magic wasn’t about logic; it was about believing in something beyond explanation. Today, kids grow up faster, surrounded by screens that trade magic for information. The magic is spoiled earlier, and once it’s gone, it’s hard to get back.
Christmas has always been a big deal in my family. It’s one of our favorite holidays. When I was younger and found out Santa wasn’t real from kids at school, I went home and asked my mom. We both cried. Me, because I was mourning the loss of the magic and essentially a part of my childhood, and her, because she didn’t want me to lose the magic and experience the sadness that came with it. But over time, I realized the magic doesn’t have to disappear.
Once I knew the truth, I got to be in on the secret and help keep the Christmas spirit alive for my little sister. That’s the thing about Christmas, it changes as you grow, but it doesn’t have to fade. Someday, I’ll get to create that same magic for my own kids, just like my parents did for me. I’ll see the excitement in their eyes leading up to Christmas morning, the pure joy as they tear into their presents from Santa, and I’ll get to share the traditions that made the season so special in my own childhood. In a way, that’s how we keep the magic alive, by passing it on and getting to experience the magic all over again through their eyes.
Maybe nostalgia is meant to fade. Perhaps every generation feels this way, watching their version of Christmas slip quietly into memory. But there’s still something about how the holidays used to be, the warmth, the anticipation, the slow, lingering moments, that stays with us. It reminds us that Christmas was never about perfection, presents or who had the brightest lights. It was about feeling connected to family, to traditions and to that quiet, glowing sense of magic that made the world feel warmer, even on the coldest nights.
Christmas may have changed, and the glow of nostalgia may feel a little dimmer now, but the memories of slower, simpler holidays still linger. The warmth of family, the excitement of anticipation and the quiet magic of twinkling lights are things we can carry with us, no matter how much the world around us moves faster. Maybe the holidays won’t ever feel exactly the same but if anyone asks, getting rid of LED lights and bringing back the old incandescent ones would totally fix everything… probably.
