Magic of Christmas – do you know what it is? I was recently watching some TV shows recorded last December (2012), and of course the commercial breaks in it all had Christmas related adverts. One of them was the Actor Rupert Grint (Ron Weasley in Harry Potter) saying, `Christmas is the most magical time of the Year..!”
So I paused the TV show, and turned to my partner April and asked…`why is Christmas the “most magical” time?’ . It may seem like silly question to ask, but my thoughts were focused on the fact that…most people think the same.. and yet am pretty sure not many (if any) of them have actually ..seen a real Fairy, been visited by the real Santa Clause, had experienced a genuine out of the world miracle that will hold scrutiny, seen bright lights and divine beings appearing in front of them – basically all the `things’ that can be said to be `really magical’ (excluding stage magical tricks of course).
It’s undeniable. Am sure everyone gets sucked into the `spirit of Christmas’ – all that singing, shopping for wonderful gifts to give loved ones to make them happy (or is it just obligation and habit now?), socials, drinks, parties, greeting cards, Christmas trees, glitters, lights, special TV soaps where everything bad happens to good regular characters…and eh.. stress, family arguments, loneliness (for some), poverty.. and so on.
But apart from sequences in films, no `real magical acts’ actually occur at Christmas.. (though there’s never been short of believers claiming so). yet, so many tend to `feel’ that it is a magical time of the year.
My partner and I debated about the `good feelings’ and `positive energies’ that we expect (conditioned to expect from childhood days…even the ones who are not actually Christian).. and this of course undeniably generates that `magical feeling’ …a sense of wanting magic. .. perhaps.
I am interested in your views…because..though its such a simple statement (Christmas is the most magical time of the Year), within it is the key to understanding something deep yet simple…about what the majority of people think and feel Magic really is…to them. They don’t all see Fairies or have miracles…yet they all think it is.. So there is something here..
What is it? What is that Magic? Comments from Christians, Pagans, Muslims, Hindus…and anyone of many other religions..all welcome for this exploration.
-Mani Navasothy
QuantumPhoenix 
Hi, that’s such a good question and one I gave pondered for many years. I don’t know what the answer is but I think you hit the nail on the head with some of your ideas. I would suggest “tradition” plays a big part – something familiar yet out if the ordinary day to day routines, something that our ancestors have done for generations, something that keeps us in touch with our tribe, our social/family group and our community. Also, more cynically “hype” – Christmas advertising and promotion starts in September and so there is over 3 months to get more and more excited, time when the light recedes and the cold and dark forces us indoors to engage with lots of media, all marketing the same message. Also, it’s hard to step off the treadmill of Christmas being magical if everyone else is going crazy about it. It is a time of hope traditionally, the return of the light so maybe some of the magical belief is steeped in ages-old ancestral belief systems.
A bit of a mixture of both then, plus the childhood memories of a time of joy, hope, wonder and pleasure, gratification and satiation. It’s a very cleverly marketed festival and for those of us who are not fans of Christmas, it’s very hard to avoid the looks of pity, shock, horror and anger from people who are well and truly swept up in Christmas. Personally I treat it like every other day: full of magic and wonder if you know where to look 😉