The Party’s over, but the Magic lives on
Posted by Jillian Burns in Jillian Burns, tags: board games, childhood, ghosts of Christmas, gifts, holidays, Love, Magic, Santa Claus, stress
December 27th. It’s kind of a limbo day between Christmas and New Year’s Day. Nothing really special about this day. The excitement of the holiday, the parties, the gift giving is over, and on top of that, some of us may even have to go back to work tomorrow. Or worse, some of us may be working retail today and patiently helping all the people who are out returning everything they received and didn’t like. Ugh. A job I used to have and respect greatly. If I know my critique partner–and I do–she’s already got her Christmas decorations down.
When I was a child the days between Christmas and New Years were magical. No school. All the new toys to play with. Baked goodies my mom only made at that time of year, and the best thing: playing the new board game with my mom, dad, and sisters.
Every year we’d get a new game, and we’d play it for the next week. Anyone else remember a game called Masterpiece? 
Or how about Mille Bornes?
And who didn’t play Life?
Ahhh, my childhood. Those were the days…
Now days when asked my favorite holiday, I half-jokingly answer; Labor Day. It’s the only holiday I don’t have buy, wrap, bake, cook, or cater to someone else. I still love Christmastime, but as an adult, I have a lot more work and a lot less time to play during the Christmas break.
And yet, there’s still something special about Christmas. I still believe in Santa Claus, and in the magic of this season. Every year I feel the ghosts of Christmases Past—my grandmother, my grandfather, and my father–surrounding me with their love, living in my heart.
I feel the excitement of Christmas Present, the anticipation of all my loved ones opening their gifts, eating a wonderful meal, and sharing the day.
And I can envision Christmases to come, when I might be dangling a beloved grandchild on my knee and watching with unspeakable joy as she experiences her very first Christmas.
Oh yes, I still believe in Magic.
After all, there’s nothing more magical than love.
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Hi Jillian, Yes I remember all those games. In the ‘old days” board games were our best entertainment. My, how the times have changed.
I love to play Mille Bornes. My family still loves to play board and card games. On New Year’s Eve my family will be playing a bunch of games. We have snaky food and play games. This year though were grilling hamburgers and hotdogs on the grill. All I have to say I’m going to be the one doing since it may be cold outside. I’ll be making this cream of mushroom dip. It was too die for last year.
My family is big into board games. We played all the time when I was growing up. I still love to play, but being in a new town, we don’t know many people, let alone people who want to play board games. I’m hoping there are some around though…I mean, this *is* Alaska and surely there are people that play games in the winter!!
There is a game store in town, so hopefully that is a good sign. My folks have started an annual “Games Day”. The day after Christmas, anyone who is in town is invited over for games and leftovers. I do wish I lived close enough to join in that!!
We played a lot of Life, Tripoly, Kings in the Corners, Klink….to name just a few of the top of my head. Now we play more Sequence, Settlers of Catan, Carcasonne…but I still pull out the old favorites when I can.
And yes, I certainly believe in the magic of the season as well. And now I get to rediscover it again with my daughter, who just turned 1!
This is the time of year we do a jigsaw puzzle. We just started a 2000 piece one of the space shuttle blasting off.
We are like Heather, we do jigsaw puzzles. My mom and I are working on our 4th puzzle in the last week. Its something we have done for as long as I can remember. We do the puzzles, glue them and frame them. Right now there are 12 framed puzzles hanging on my walls and I have like 10 more that are waiting to be framed, lol!