What do you miss most about not being a kid at christmas time anymore?

Original post by nycchic_24

Dec 20, 2003 05:36 PM

What do you miss most about not being a kid at christmas anymore?

I miss the whole santa thing we have been talking about, I miss my mom reading us twas the night before christmas on christmas eve right before bed time and I miss all those toys I used to play with for weeks after!

Sometimes I feel like that Faith Hill song made for the grinch movie..Where are you Christmas...its so sad...its like you have to find it all over again.

KCDC Posted: Dec 21, 2003 06:33 PM

Re: What do you miss most about not being a kid at christmas time anymore?

I miss all of it. I miss the magic. At Christmas my dad used to do the house up with all cartoon characters outside on the front lawn, and then we would dress up like the cartoon characters on the lawn (the actual costumes with the big heads). News 12 would come, Newsday, CHannel 4, etc. It was so much fun. All of the neighbors would participate in the costumes. It was so nice to see all of the kids and how happy they were that they didnt have to go to Disney World to Micke and Minnie, or Big Bird and Cookie Monster. The best feeling was when the kids from United Cerebral Palsy used to come, and we would go up and shake their hands and play with them in the costumes. The feeling would make you cry. The Town used to come and direct traffic too.

Everyone got along. It was the best.

Now??? Parents divorced. His and mine. None get along. So we have to get up and put our running shoes on to go spend time with everyone without pissing anyone off. And now we have our 2 year old little girl, who I refuse to make run all over the place, spending xmas in the car. SO this year we are staying home. Everyone can come to us. I know I sound like scrooge, but I can't wait for it to be over!!!!!! I want xmas to be magical for my daughter. I want her to stay home and play with her toys. I want her to enjoy xmas like I USED to.

I hate the fact that the parents get divorced, and then get pissed off that you don't spend enough time with them. HELLO you did this, not us. I'm tired of having to appease all of them. Its not fair to our daughter (or us).

OK I fell better now. Had to vent.

So Do I miss XMAS......Hell yeah...but the way it was back when I was a kid. Hopefully, my daughter will enjoy it as much as I did!!!

kmcwed Posted: Dec 21, 2003 06:36 PM

Re: What do you miss most about not being a kid at christmas time anymore?

I still try to approach Christmas with a child's heart. Naturally, I don't believe in Santa anymore, but I try to still believe in the 'magic' of the season. There is really something special in the air at this time of year, and there's a certain 'magic' to it--the way most people become more generous, loving and forgiving, and how families and friends gather together.

What I miss most about not being a kid anymore, besides believing in Santa, is just being together as a family. Now that we're all grown up and out of the house it's just so different. I miss the smell of baking cookies and cakes that filled the house for days on end before Christmas.

But as I said, I really make an effort to make this time of year special. Last night, DH and I wrapped our gifts for each other (in separate rooms) while we listened to Christmas Carols. He surprised me with a big mug of hot chocolate topped with whipped cream (after warning me that he was coming upstairs, so he couldn't get a peek at his gifts). It was such a wonderful surprise. After we were finished wrapping, we watched Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer by the light of the Christmas Tree. Things like that are what create the 'magic' of Christmas.

I honestly don't think it's all about the kids. When you're a kid, Christmas just kind of happens for you. When you're an adult, it's up to you to MAKE it happen. So it becomes more of a choice. It's not worse being an adult, it's just different. In some ways, it's even better.

KCDC Posted: Dec 21, 2003 06:40 PM

Re: What do you miss most about not being a kid at christmas time anymore?

KMC- You are absolutely right. In every way. DH and I used to be like that. And I miss it. We're just constantly running. And I get to the point where i have to step back and remember how much fun I used to have. And then of course I get very emotional.

Just before, the Fire Department came through my complex with Santa and elves and the look in my daughters eyes when she saw him made me cry. It was the best!

So naturally I felt guilty about not liking xmas like I used to.

Deb_n_Rob Posted: Dec 21, 2003 06:46 PM

Re: What do you miss most about not being a kid at christmas time anymore?

I miss the excitement of Christmas Eve. I miss counting down the days to Christmas with a Advent calendar. I remember waiting every third day for my turn to get the cheap chocolate. It was so exciting. I also miss calling Santa. Remember when you could call Santa? I believe it was a 976 number. I also remember Christmas morning when my sister and I would wake up the entire family. We couldn't go to the livingroom until everyone was awake. We would sneak out to peek and tell each other what we saw. With my child on the way, my dh and I hope to create a similar exciting experience for Christmas. My hubby and I still buy each other toys for Christmas. I shop for him at Toys R Us. We have an agreement that there needs to be at least one toy to play with under the tree each Christmas. One year he thought he was getting an Action figure, but sadly it was a nose hair trimmer. I have never lived that down.

Jenny5150 Posted: Dec 21, 2003 06:55 PM

Re: What do you miss most about not being a kid at christmas time anymore?

I just remember everything sparkling and glowing. Everything was larger than life.

Imagin916 Posted: Dec 21, 2003 09:04 PM

Re: What do you miss most about not being a kid at christmas time anymore?

I miss christmas eve with my cousins, we would 'hear the elves in the bushes', and we thought the light on the top of nassau county medical center was rudolphs nose. We would talk about Santa and what we wanted for christmas. Going to bed at night and not being able to sleep a wink waiting for Santa to come was a feeling that you cant compare to anything else. I would get up and go to the bathroom like 50 times hoping to hear Santa but I would never dare go into the room where the tree was! I was afraid that I wouldnt get any presents! One year my dad videotaped himself dressed up as santa claus putting presents under the tree and since it was dark and you really couldnt see the face just the outside of the costume and the beard, we believed it! We showed all our friends that we got Santa on tape LOL! I cant wait until I have kids and I can share the magic with them. Christmas is still a special time of year for me, but its not the same as when you are a kid.

jenny11.9 Posted: Dec 22, 2003 08:59 AM

Re: What do you miss most about not being a kid at christmas time anymore?

how LONG it seemed to last...everything now seems to be over in a heartbeat.

kmcwed Posted: Dec 22, 2003 11:29 AM

Re: What do you miss most about not being a kid at christmas time anymore?

Posted by Deb_n_Rob

I miss counting down the days to Christmas with a Advent calendar. I remember waiting every third day for my turn to get the cheap chocolate.

I have one of those in my kitchen right now! DH and I take turns opening each day. But he always gives me his chocolate anyway. Well, at least most of the time.

I think things like the Advent calendar are the very things that we can continue in our own lives, and we don't have to miss them.

verdila Posted: Dec 22, 2003 01:17 PM

Re: What do you miss most about not being a kid at christmas time anymore?

The excitement of opening presents on Xmas morning.....the waiting all month long for it .....being with my sister, giggling and sneaking in the basement to see what we got the weeks leading up to Xmas. (my parents used to hide our presents down there and sometimes we would find them, sometimes they were already wrapped!)

I still look forward to the big Italian dinner on Xmas day - complete with all of the antipasta from A&S Pork store (my fave of fresh mozz and sopressata), second course of a honey ham and potatoes and vegetables, and of course the pasta course of fresh stuffed shells with meatballs, sausages and braschole.. lots of cannolis and pastries for dessert! We eat way too much on the holidays.

I miss the night of the 7 fishes on Xmas eve and exchanging presents with my aunts/uncles/cousins because now I go to my inlaws on that night...and they dont do it like the Italians.

shelzyp Posted: Dec 22, 2003 01:21 PM

Re: What do you miss most about not being a kid at christmas time anymore?

I miss Christmas Eve at my grandmother's, and then driving home and looking at the window looking for Santa.

I also miss Xmas morning with my parents and brother. I was so upset the first year my brother moved out.

Xelindrya Posted: Dec 22, 2003 01:22 PM

Re: What do you miss most about not being a kid at christmas time anymore?

Hrm..
I remember sneaking out of my room to watch the Tree.

My Dad would sometimes let me stay up to watch it. I'd fall asleep on the couch or under the tree. I loved the sparkle glow of the lights.

By the time my Dad became the main caretaker of us, we had little to no money. So the tree was 'it' for me. I hope that I can teach my children to appreciate the spirit of the season. I can honestly say I never really wanted much for Christmas as a child and was generally ok or moderately happy about the gifts. It was all very anti-climatic for me. I just liked the Season of Xmas.

OctBride03 Posted: Dec 22, 2003 01:24 PM

Re: What do you miss most about not being a kid at christmas time anymore?

The butterlies in my tummy when I went to sleep on Christmas Eve knowing that Santa was going to come when I closed my eyes! That and the excitement of waking up in the morning!!! AAAAAAAHHHHH I miss it! i can't wait until I have a child!