Are Holidays Really Holidays Anymore?

The older I get the less excited I get about certain things. Take holidays, for instance. Yesterday was Thanksgiving. I had a nice meal with my family and we generally had a good day. Still, it didn't feel like we really got into the spirit of the holiday and focused on what we were thankful for. We had a brief mention of it at the table, but in general it seemed like it was just a day to take off work and have some turkey.

The word "holiday" comes from "holy day." The purpose of holy days being set aside is to give us the opportunity to focus our minds on something bigger than day-to-day life. We're supposed to remember things like the sacrifices made by people before us or the love God has shown to humanity. We're supposed to reflect on the fact that our lives are all shaped by things beyond what we can see and when we return to the mundane we should have a renewed sense of perspective.

Sadly, I know that isn't the case for me enough. Like so many others, I think more about the rituals surrounding the holidays and forget about their true meaning. What if we took away the turkey, the football and the huge family get-togethers at Thanksgiving and just discussed with some close loved ones what we were thankful for? Wouldn't that be more likely to help us achieve that renewed sense of perspective? Wouldn't it eliminate the stress and help us accomplish what we intended with the whole setting aside a day thing?

Christmas is the next big holiday approaching. I already suggested the idea of no one exchanging gifts this year to my mother, and she didn't seem totally opposed to the idea. Still, we'll probably end up getting caught up in the stress of putting up decorations, buying gifts and wishing our loved ones a Merry Christmas that we'll lose focus on the true meaning just like we always do. Christmas doesn't feel like Christmas to me anymore. It feels like a ritual. If I'm not focusing on my Savior's birth, is there even any point to me celebrating Christmas? It's not as if the Bible tells us we have to celebrate Christmas. We just do it because it was a tradition started by the church. If we can focus on Jesus and gain a renewed sense of perspective at Christmas time, that's good. If we're only observing it because it's a fun tradition though, is that truly pleasing to God?

Holidays can be fun. Some of my best memories are from holidays. I just think more people (myself included) need to remember that they aren't just designated celebration days. They have a purpose. Keeping those purposes in mind would be for the better in all our lives.