Every year around this time, there’s supposed to be a shift.
The music changes. The lights go up. The spirit feels lighter.

But this year… it doesn’t.

Everyone I talk to seems to say the same thing: “It doesn’t feel like Christmas.”
And honestly, I feel it too.

The state of the world has left so many of us sitting in fear of what’s next. Financial pressure. Global unrest. Personal uncertainty. Grief. Burnout. Loss. For some, joy feels postponed. For others, it feels inappropriate. And for many, it feels forced.

So instead of anticipation, there’s heaviness.
Instead of excitement, there’s exhaustion.

When the Season Feels Heavy

We’re used to associating Christmas with cheer, abundance, and celebration but what happens when life doesn’t match the aesthetic?

What happens when you’re showing up to holiday gatherings with a smile, but inside you’re carrying unanswered prayers, strained relationships, or quiet worries you don’t have words for?

This season has reminded me that joy isn’t always loud. Sometimes it’s barely hanging on. Sometimes it’s choosing to keep going. Sometimes it’s simply getting out of bed and trying again.

And maybe that’s okay.

Remembering the Real Meaning of Christmas

Christmas was never meant to be about perfection, excess, or pretending everything is fine.

The very foundation of this season is rooted in humility, uncertainty, and faith. Jesus was born into a world that was chaotic, oppressive, and uncertain yet His arrival still brought hope.

Not because circumstances changed overnight, but because love showed up anyway.

That realization has been grounding for me this year.

Finding Joy Without Forcing It

If you’re not in the Christmas spirit this year, you’re not broken.
You’re human.

Joy doesn’t always look like decorating early or feeling festive. Sometimes joy looks like:

• Choosing rest over pressure
• Saying no to what drains you
• Finding peace in quiet moments
• Holding your loved ones a little closer
• Letting faith carry what you can’t

This season doesn’t require performance. It requires presence.

A Gentle Reminder for This Season

If Christmas feels different in 2025, maybe it’s inviting us to slow down and reconnect with what truly matters.

Not the gifts.
Not the noise.
Not the expectations.

But love.
Faith.
Hope.
And the reminder that light still comes—even in dark times.

If you’re struggling this season, know that you’re not alone. And if all you can do is make it through the day, that is more than enough.

Sometimes the Christmas spirit isn’t something we feel.
It’s something we choose quietly, gently, one moment at a time.

Reflection

If this season feels different for you too, I hope you give yourself permission to let it be. New seasons don’t mean something is missing they mean something new is being formed. However, you choose to experience Christmas this year, let it be honest, intentional, and your own.

xo, Kieks