Childfree Holiday Magic
Holiday magic isn’t just for kids and parents.
I’ve been on a long evolving journey with the holidays, with many highs and lows providing opportunities for new insights and learning.
As a young child, one of my favorite experiences was heading to the Christmas tree farm with my family. My brother and I would run free, playing hide and seek, armed for playful combat with our bamboo “swords” that once held up tiny saplings.
We would each pick out our favorite tree, only to lose sight of it when we went to find our mom to plead this was the tree. Eventually, a consensus would be reached, and off we’d head home to decorate and prepare for the season.
Our traditions evolved as life unfolded, with changes that were expected, welcomed, or endured. But the spirit I experienced in those early years became a deep-rooted part of me.
Let me take a moment to thank my mom, grandma, and everyone who works hard to make magic happen during the holidays, even when they aren’t feeling it themselves. I see you, especially those with little ones, feeling exhausted and overwhelmed, putting in so much effort. I hope you know how much the magic you make matters. Sending you heartfelt gratitude, love, and hope the magic comes back to you 10 fold!
Early in life, I imagined creating traditions and carrying on the season’s magic for my children. When I realized this dream would not become my reality, holiday traditions became hollow and singed with pain. I went through the motions but wasn’t sure where I fit in.
With time, healing, and reflection, I began to experience the holiday season in new ways. I reclaimed the magical traditions that resonated, updated others, discarded some (rushing, overspending, and traversing malls or traffic), and allowed myself to evolve each year, as needed, with new insights from the last.
My “Christmas” tree became a Yule tree, and I began celebrating the Winter Solstice and the return of the light. I also found the less the holiday season was about gifts, the better it became.
This year, my husband and I returned to one of my favorite traditions: getting our tree at a farm rather than a lot. I felt like a kid again wandering the farm with Ryan and our pup, Stella. We hung out by the fire pit for a while with a low-key Santa figure who was keeping warm at 9AM with some dark “special sauce” that he assured me was NOT coffee but would warm him up, nevertheless. He was a HOOT, and the experience was a charming delight!
Instead of shopping last weekend, I picked up my best friends at SeaTac Airport. We headed to a cabin in the forest for 3 glorious days together. In lieu of the typical gift exchanges, we opted for dancing by the fire, watching sunrises, snuggling and catching up, and belly laughing during our daily sauna sessions, with stunning mountain views. We shared a wholehearted time that made our lives so much richer. This weekend will be woven into the tapestry of our collective stories that we will retell for the rest of our lives together. A precious gift to each other.
Ryan and I will burn a Yule log on the Solstice on Thursday, give thanks for a beautiful Fall, and welcome the cozy, restorative vibes of Winter. Over Christmas, we will share laughs, delicious meals, and quality time with family. And then, celebrate with more besties who are flying in for a visit and to share NYE together.
There will also be rest and time spent reading some recommended smut novels by my dear friend and mentor, Maegan Megginson. (I highly recommend finding yourself a coach that recommends rest and smut novels as necessary self-care!)
As childfree women, our lives may not look like the “American Dream” or the Folgers commercials many of us grew up on. But the childfree life is pretty damn dreamy!
✨ Here's to the magic of the season, just how you want and need it! ✨
Much love and solidarity!
Annie
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