La Voz

Issue date: 12/1/08 Section: Opinion

Media Credit: Galen Oback

Lighted snowflakes and neighing reindeers, eggnog lattes and gingerbread man cookies, elongated holiday hours and one jolly man in a fat suit for every mall in town!

I love everything about the holiday season, but I can summarize why it means so much to me in just two words: holiday spirit. This magical holiday spirit will lead many into peace.

It sounds corny, I know, but I am not usually this romantic or idealistic. Most of the year, I am busy with a packed 30-unit schedule per quarter, a 15-hour-a-week commitment to dancing, every weekend devoted to church, and the rest of my life dedicated to the journalism room; basically, I leave no room for dreaming or breathing. Why? Because I'm insane, says my editor in chief; but in my defense, I am an anxious over-achieving student with a phobia of rejection letters. (Editor's note: in his defense, he's being sarcastic. Happy holidays, Lina!)

In the past couple decades, leisure has become a luxury. Everyone frantically works around their busy schedules to reach goals or to make ends meet.

Students of all ages have evolved into superpeople, carrying an impossible amount of units, hours at work and internships. Workers of all ethnicities must deal with the ever-increasing pressure of the unstable economy. Parents ... continue to be the masters of what seems to be unfeasible multitasking.

However, this time of the year, all of us can use the holidays as an excuse to find time to spend with our families, friends, and significant others. It is the only time of the year when leisure does not feel so guilty and when we can truly be free from work-related-stress. (Unless you work retail, in which case, I am so sorry.)

More importantly, though, the holidays make all of us a little more generous. I feel obligated to pick up at least one or two of those Wishing Tree tags, decorate and fill up a shoebox or two for Salvation Army, and gather spare change for charity coin boxes.

I go Christmas shopping and find joy in buying for others. Unlike when I'm shopping for myself - which usually results in a five-minute high at most - I look forward to the reactions of my loved ones, which result in cute little thank you cards and smiles you won't forget for awhile.

If we can conserve this magic, I wish the holidays would start somewhere around mid-October - around my first midterm. (Maybe my professors would feel generous too.)

If you're a skeptic, I am one too. I stopped believing in a fairy godmother, Prince Charming, and glass slippers about ten years ago; love-at-first-sight about five years ago; and utopia and happily-ever-after endings about two years ago.

But unlike Disney's false depiction of magic that portrays unrealistic image about men and love, this magic is sure as hell real.

There's something special about the bright lights decorating cold nights, seasonal drinks that come in red cups instead of white, and Christmas-themed songs that makes us feel warm and cozy. It all comes together to create a holiday frame of mind that is magical.

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