It’s about that time. Thanksgiving has passed and the air has completely changed. Life seems to take on a new spirit once Christmas season rolls around. The mundane and ordinary becomes magical and extraordinary.

1. Christmas lights

The regular homes that you pass on your daily commute to school or work take on a new light, literally. Suddenly, you are craning your neck to look at every home’s decorations and the detailed bulbs strung along every beam. Before, you never cared what went on in that house or how their lawn was kept; now you check every day to see if a new fixture has been put out.

2. Christmas cards

This is the one time of year when everyone decides to sent sweet cards with a picture of the kids (and maybe the dog) to every friend, family member, and neighbor. Even that distant cousin you never speak to is going to get one. And if you’re like my family, each of the cards you receive is doted on and then displayed on a card holder like a prized collection.

3. Christmas presents

You get a gift! You get a gift! Literally everyone gets a gift! Now whenever you go into a store you begin to spot things that would just be perfect for that friend, or you remember that purse you mom mentioned months ago. We’re suddenly so dang generous!

4. Christmas greetings

I am the most introverted person ever, but once December 1st hits you can bet I will be saying “Merry Christmas” so every classmate, cashier, and passerby. Just think about it, all of a sudden we want to greet everyone with a smile and well wishes, maybe even converse in line about the goodies you snagged for those on your list. We all just become so nice.

5. Christmas music

You can claim to be a scrooge all you want to, but you and I both know that when Jackson 5’s “Santa Claus is Coming to Town” comes on you’re going to belt it out like the rest of us. There’s something about Christmas music that makes everyone chime in. We all know the words, we all know the key change, and we all know how happy we get after jamming to it in the car. It’s just groovy in its own special way.

So here is my question: why do we isolate this “Christmas spirit” of love and compassion to only December? Why don’t we look at the everyday things and let our eyes light up at its sparkle? Why do we not send sweet notes regularly to family and friends to update them on life? Why shouldn’t we give others little happy gifts just to show we care? What’s so wrong with being cheerful and friendly to strangers on a regular weekday? And why don’t we sing together more?

What would life be like if we made Christmas spirit our daily joy? What if that light and love and laughter that we experience when celebrating Christ’s birth was shown every single day to proclaim His glory? Make every day like Christmas.