Oh, Christmas, where did you go?

It seems like the most wonderful time of the year is never-ending, and when it actually does, we all lose our spirit rather fast. The Christmas songs we sang with gusto are now replaced with the boring talk-radio that we endure 11 months out of the year, the lights are taken down in favor of darkness and that abundance of wrapping paper lands itself a front row spot in the trash can. The day after Christmas feels like a harsh snap back into reality; we realize that we'll have to return to our busy regularly-scheduled lives and once again feel a heavy stress weighing upon us. However, if we could just hang on to those important feelings of Christmas all year long, maybe (just maybe) December 26th wouldn't give us such a rude awakening.

Do you remember what it felt like to watch someone open something you had given them? Do you remember watching their faces light up as they realized what it was? It probably felt pretty good, didn't it? You felt such joy about giving to someone else in that moment, not about receiving anything in return. This is a joy you should store in your heart all year long, not just during the holidays. If you faced every day with a heart for giving, the world would be a much kinder place. Hang onto that feeling, because it's always going to be there.

What about the time you spent with family this Christmas? The laughs you shared, the hugs, the memories made? You can express that love at any time--it's not exclusively reserved for the month of December. You are given a finite amount of time on this earth to make the most of, and family is such a large part of that. Go out of your way to show your family how much you appreciate them all year long, and fill yourself with love.

Let's not forget about all of the days you woke up and counted down the days until Christmas with such excitement; you should look forward to every day in such a way. The enthusiasm and energy for the holidays were genuine, and shouldn't just disappear. You'd be surprised at how much your mindset will change when you are enthusiastic and excited about what you're doing, as plain as it may be. Anything can be made incredible when your heart is a part of it.

Instead of dreading the aftermath of Christmas, we should reflect on how wonderful it really was and take that feeling into our lives until the holiday rolls around once more. In a nutshell, we could all use the childlike wonder we once all had during the winter time, and we should keep it our pocket at all times--because every day is a time for joy, love and excitement.