Tis’ the season to be jolly. I have been hearing this for the past two weeks.

The lurking phrase that constantly reminds me that the season to be overly merry is upon us. As someone who loves Christmas and winter in general very much, I find the phrase utterly appalling.

Do not get me wrong, I love Christmas music, decorating, eating every type of cookie in the universe and lets not forget hot cocoa, but to always have advertisements reminding me to be jolly is a bit absurd.

I love the never-ending Christmas jingles and the ever-constant Christmas music that is always playing, but to commercialize Christmas is not what the holiday is about.

I get it, companies get more revenue over major holidays, but Christmas is not just a holiday for gifts. It is a time to come together as family, to eat large amounts of food and have large snow ball fights that can sometimes feel as though you are a character in Game of Thrones. Let me begin this journey to discovering the true meaning of Christmas by sharing what it means to me.

Christmas means spending time with family, okay maybe not the whole time, but at least sharing some memories together. Christmas is also doing something selfless or volunteering my time. Whether its standing outside ringing a bell for donations for the Salvation Army or helping at a local church’s food drive. Christmas is not solely about giving gifts for me, it is about community and helping one another.

Lastly for me Christmas is about channeling my inner child. A part of me (I know this is weird, but don’t judge) still wants to believe in the magic of Santa.

Not like he comes and brings present through the chimney, magic. But the kind of magic that makes a miracle happen, kind of like a Hallmark movie. I know believing in Santa (to some extent) isn’t plausible, but believing that a miracle can happen out of the blue just when you need it, is.

And hey, no one really knows where miracles come from.

So… it is possible that maybe just maybe it is not 100% impossible that Santa Clause is not real. I am just saying that Christmas is about becoming a kid again. Feeling the joy of unwrapping presents and decorating the tree while listening to Christmas carols and going sled riding. The joys of Christmas as a kid were so small, but they are the ones that you remember forever. Sometimes I miss that feeling of Christmas I had when I was young, then I remember that it is still there.

Christmas is what you make it.

No one knows what the true meaning of Christmas is, not even Hallmark. The true meaning of Christmas is as unique as people are. We each value different things in life and Christmas is no different. Each and everyone of you hold the secret to the true meaning of Christmas. All you have to do is find it.