When The Magic Fades: Finding True Joy Beyond the Holiday Hype of the Christmas Season

Here we are—another Christmas.

I’ve been reflecting on some heartfelt comments from friends—good, thoughtful folks who’ve admitted they no longer “feel” Christmas.

One remembers the childhood excitement over gifts and candy fading away, replaced by a quiet guilt for not joining in the universal cheer everyone seems to expect. “Everybody loves Christmas!!! No, no, they don’t,” he said.

Another has never bought into traditions, seeing holidays as meaningless obligations that come with pressure and guilt. He distinguishes “presents” tied to a date from true “gifts” given out of love, at any time. These words cut deep when you’re a Christian, and they sadden me—not because I judge anyone for feeling this way, but because I see in them a longing for something real amid the artificial sparkle.

Christian theologian C.S. Lewis called the holiday season a "commercial racket" and grumbled about the expectation to buy and send "masses of junk every winter." Yet Lewis, a former atheist who came to believe in Christianity later in life, saw something profound beneath all the commercial hype. He understood the fade of childhood magic and the emptiness of traditions that feel forced. But he argued that this very disappointment might point to a deeper reality—the original claim behind Christmas: that the eternal Creator entered our world as a vulnerable baby.

In his book Miracles, Lewis called this event—the Incarnation—"the Grand Miracle." Here's how he described it: "In the Christian story, God descends to reascend. He comes down, down from the heights of absolute being into time and space, down into humanity... down further still... to the very roots and seabed of the Nature He had created. But He goes down to come up again and bring the ruined world up with Him."

The Weariness Is Understandable—and Shared by Many

 As a follower of Christ, I believe the Bible speaks directly to this holiday fatigue many of us feel. It offers a convincing invitation to shift our view from depression or ephemeral feelings to the enduring joy Jesus Christ points to.

First, let’s acknowledge the honesty here. Faking excitement year after year is exhausting. The pressure to manufacture “holiday spirit” through decorations, music, and obligatory cheer can leave us hollow. When nostalgia gives way to “harsh reality,” as one friend put it, the season feels more like a performance than a celebration. The Bible doesn’t condemn this weariness. In fact, Scripture is full of people who felt disconnected from the joy they expected—I'm reminded of King David’s laments in the Psalms or Elijah’s despair.

But it does diagnose the root of the problem: our hearts were made for more than seasonal highs. Worldly celebrations, even well-intentioned ones, rise and fall with circumstances. I've had good years and bad years in my life, for myself before a family, and now with a family for the past 28 years.

We all experience highs and lows in this life.

Gifts tied to a calendar can feel transactional, and traditions without deeper meaning lose their grip over time. Yet Christmas, at its core, isn’t about commerce or recapturing childhood magic or conforming to cultural expectations. It’s meant to remind us of the most important event in human history that changed the world: the birth of Jesus Christ. That is the true reason and meaning behind this holiday.

The Biblical Story: A Joy That Doesn’t Depend on Feeling It

Every year, my family puts on a little living room play on Christmas Eve. Every child participates (and my wife and I have seven, and now one grandchild who will probably be the baby Jesus this year). My oldest son, Logan, has been the narrator every year since he was small. He reads from Luke 2, the familiar account of Jesus’ birth. There, in a humble manger because “there was no guest room available” (Luke 2:7), God entered our world as a baby. Angels announced it not to kings or priests, but to ordinary shepherds: “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:10-11). Notice the emphasis: great joy for all people. The shepherds didn’t need tinsel or carols to respond—they hurried to see, then “returned, glorifying and praising God” (Luke 2:20). Their joy wasn’t manufactured; it flowed from encountering the Savior. This is the heart of Christmas from a biblical worldview: celebrating the Incarnation—God with us (Matthew 1:23).

Jesus didn’t come for a holiday, but to rescue us from sin and despair.

As the angel declared, He brings “peace on earth” to those on whom God’s favor rests (Luke 2:14). That peace is eternal for all of us, and it is the beginning of our reconciliation with God. The Bible never commands us to celebrate December 25th specifically—Jesus’ exact birthday isn’t given, and early Christians didn’t mark it as we do. But it does celebrate His coming. The angels sang. The shepherds praised. And we’re invited to do the same, not out of obligation, but in response to God’s ultimate gift: “Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!” (2 Corinthians 9:15).

Gifts vs. Presents: They're a reminder of God’s Generous Heart

One friend wisely said, “A gift has no date or attachment to anything other than the love from the giver.” Amen.

The Bible tells us that giving reflects God’s character. Probably the most famous verse in history that encapsulates the gospel message is an example of this. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him shall not perish but have everlasting life. (John 3:16). True gifts flow from love, not calendars or expectations. Commercial Christmas often flips this, making “presents” feel obligatory and materialistic. But redeemed, gift-giving can point us back to the Magi who brought treasures to worship the child (Matthew 2), or to God’s daily provisions: “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above” (James 1:17). We don’t have to tie generosity to one season. Give spontaneously, out of love—as our Heavenly Father does. Always.

Rejoicing Always: A Command That Frees Us from Holiday Pressure

Here’s the poignant truth that comforts me most: biblical joy isn’t the same as holiday cheer. Paul, when he was writing from prison, commanded believers: “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice” (Philippians 4:4). Always. That message rings out to me through 2000 years. Not just when the lights twinkle or the music plays. Not when we “feel” it. But always.

Joy in the Lord is based on who He is—unchanging, faithful Savior—not in circumstances or traditions.

Habakkuk captured this: “Though the fig tree should not blossom... yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation” (Habakkuk 3:17-18). When holidays disappoint, we can still rejoice because our Savior lives.

If Christmas feels empty, maybe it’s an invitation to discover this deeper joy. Not faking the seasonal high, but investigating for yourself by reading the Bible and talking to a minister or Christian friends about the reality of Emmanuel—God with us every day.

An Invitation This Christmas

To my friends, relatives, and anyone who reads this: if the magic or joy has faded, you’re not alone—and there’s no guilt in that. I urge you not to be indifferent. Reach out to me, friends, family, a local minister, and the church. Let this season point you to the One who offers joy that doesn’t fade: Jesus Christ.

Read Luke 2 for the first time, or if you know the story, try to look at it anew. Reflect on the angels’ song. Give gifts from the heart, no strings attached. And rejoice—not because you must “feel” Christmas, but because the Savior has come.

May this year be the one where the harsh reality gives way to the most profound objective biblical truth: in Christ, there is great joy for all people.

Always.

In His love,

Dallas Reese

Hilton Head Island South Carolina

Christmas Eve

Wednesday December 24, 2025