The Kind of Christmas My Soul Has Been Craving for So Very Long

December 24, 2025

I didn’t realize how magical this Christmas has been until I stopped long enough to notice it.

This year, I had time.

Time to shop early.

Time to plan.

Time to wrap presents without panic.

Time to move slowly instead of racing the calendar.

A few weeks ago, I wandered through the toy aisles with my baby—shelves full, store quiet, no urgency pressing in on my chest. It felt almost surreal. Joyful. Peaceful. And oddly ironic, because I was the only one there. This isn’t how Christmas shopping usually looks. It’s normally chaos. Crowds. Empty shelves. Pressure disguised as tradition.

That contrast hit me hard last weekend when I took the kids to shop for each other. Packed stores. Bare shelves. Everyone everywhere all at once. The familiar madness. And suddenly I could feel the difference in my body—how calm this season has been compared to years past.

This Christmas hasn’t been louder or bigger.

It hasn’t required more effort or more doing.

It’s been magical because there has been space.

Space to breathe.

Space to notice.

Space to be present instead of reactive.

For so long, my life required survival mode. Pushing. Holding. Managing. Carrying weight that left little room for wonder. I don’t think I even knew how much my soul needed a season like this until I was standing in it.

This is the kind of Christmas my soul has been craving for so very long.

Not perfect. Not flashy.

Just peaceful. Full. Enough.

And maybe that’s the lesson I’ll carry forward—

that magic isn’t something we manufacture.

It’s something that shows up when we finally allow ourselves to rest.