The True Magic of the Season

Dr. Deb Zupito

Every year, it seems we are told the holidays should sparkle louder, shine brighter, and feel bigger than ever before. Bigger gifts. Fuller calendars. Perfect photos. Somewhere between the wrapping paper and the wish lists, it gets easy to miss the quiet magic that children are noticing.

The truth is, the season is not magical because of what we buy. It is magical because of how we belong to one another.

Children do not remember the price tag. They remember who sat on the floor with them. They remember the laugh that came out of nowhere. They remember the feeling of being wrapped up, not just in blankets, but in presence.

Magic looks like hot cocoa cooling on the counter because someone forgot about it while building a block tower. It looks like mismatched pajamas and a bedtime that stretches a little longer because the story was too good to stop. It looks like tired parents who still show up and choose connection even when the sink is full and the list is long!

For children, magic lives in predictability and warmth. In knowing that someone will come when they call. In routines that feel steady even when the world feels loud. In parents who are human, imperfect, and willing to repair after challenging moments. Yes, even during the holidays when patience is tested by traffic, sugar, and one more rendition of that song.

This season can ask a lot of families. More transitions. More excitement. More emotions. Big feelings do not mean something is wrong. They mean children are processing change, anticipation, and sensory overload. The most magical gift we can give is not control, but calm. Not perfection, but safety.

Slow is not falling behind. Rest is not lazy. Saying no is sometimes the most loving yes you can offer your family. When adults soften expectations, children breathe easier. When adults stay grounded, children feel held.

The magic is not in creating a flawless holiday. It is in creating moments of love that stack quietly, one on top of another, forming memories that last long after the decorations come down. Children carry those moments forward. They become the way they love, the way they soothe themselves, the way they show up for others.

So, if your holiday includes spilled milk, tangled lights, or tears over the wrong-colored cup, you are doing it right. That is real life. That is family. That is love in motion.

This season, may your home be filled with warmth, not pressure. With laughter, not comparison. With connection, not chaos. The magic was never out there. It has always lived right where you are.