Growing up in a Buddhist household meant we didn’t celebrate Christmas as kids. We didn’t have gifts under a Christmas tree—come to think of it, we didn’t have a Christmas tree at all. But that absence made us appreciate what we did have: hard-working parents who pushed us, intentionally or not, toward future stability and success.
Over time, Christmas itself has evolved far beyond its religious origins. It permeates American culture so thoroughly that Santa Claus is arguably more recognizable than Jesus to most Americans today. And every December, without fail, the same holiday songs return to the airwaves flooding our shopping malls and radio stations—Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You” inevitably reclaiming the #1 spot for the rest of history. “Last Christmas” – the Jimmy Eat version, remains my favorite holiday song.
As I got older, Christmas shifted into a quieter family celebration. We gave gifts mostly to my nieces and nephews, whose childhoods offered opportunities far different from—and far brighter than—our own.
All of this is to say that Kai will certainly have an exciting holiday season this year. Even with the strange family drama unfolding in the Tran household—drama significant enough to uproot Thanksgiving and potentially Christmas too—I’m hopeful he’ll still find joy in the small moments, becoming both immersed in and, frankly, gently propagandized into the magic of the holiday.
That begins, of course, with his first visit to Santa Claus. He didn’t cry or get upset, which is already a win, though we definitely need to work on making him smile during future family photos. Otherwise, he might just end up a tiny Grinch. Still, we’re hoping to start new family traditions this year—ones that will help him appreciate each passing moment of his life, and maybe help us slow down enough to appreciate them too. It’ll be nice to give him the childhood that I never had personally growing up.
