Earlier this year, on St. Patrick’s Day, I went through our usual morning routine with only slight tweaks. I helped my son get ready, intentionally laying out a green shirt. That was it. After dropping him off at school, I returned home and hopped online. What greeted me? Scenes of kitchens with chairs overturned and cabinet doors ajar. Living rooms strewn with shoes and books. Empty, homemade “traps.” Bathrooms festooned with toilet paper streamers. It was like peeking into my own house on any random Wednesday. But no, this wasn’t just messy housekeeping; it was the work of mischievous leprechauns.
In an instant, I realized that some of my son’s classmates were going to share tales of how a leprechaun had visited their homes overnight, causing chaos and leaving behind chocolate coins and special edition boxes of Lucky Charms. The sense of betrayal I felt from my fellow parents was striking. They had once again pulled me into a world that seems determined to turn everyday life into a never-ending quest for more magic.
I genuinely struggle to understand this urge some parents have to amplify holidays. St. Patrick’s Day should be about wearing all the green you can find, possibly enjoying corned beef and cabbage, and maybe savoring a Guinness or two. We used to do small things to celebrate, like adding green food dye to dinner. But once we realized that dying food green only guarantees a dinner strike, we stopped, while others ramped up the green madness.
I tolerated these antics for other holidays, but even I have my limits. One year, my son will inevitably come home asking why Billy’s house gets a leprechaun visit every year while ours does not. My response? “Leprechauns aren’t real, and Billy’s parents are… stretching the truth. Now eat your green eggs.”
This is nonsense I refuse to engage in, alongside the growing trend of parents trying to enhance things that are already magical.
Christmas and Other Holidays
Take Christmas, for instance. A jolly man in a red suit manages to visit every house in the world in one night, delivering perfectly chosen presents under the tree. Yet, that’s not enough magic anymore. Enter the creepy Elf on the Shelf, who watches our children for a month, necessitating nightly moves to make him seem alive. As if that weren’t enough, we sprinkle powdered sugar to create a trail from the fireplace to the tree. Never mind that Santa already left gifts and devoured our cookies; the absence of snow outside should be a clue.
With losing a tooth, the tooth fairy leaves behind a few coins under the pillow. But that’s just not magical enough. Now we have to sprinkle glitter everywhere, turning our homes into a fairy dust haven, only to spend months vacuuming it up! Instead of a couple of bucks, the fairy leaves a toy to ensure our kids feel $27 worth of love instead of just a buck.
Easter, too, has been overhauled. A rabbit hiding eggs while you sleep? Apparently, that’s not sufficient. Now, we have to make all our food into little bunny shapes, fill fields with plastic eggs, and turn the hunt into a competitive sport. As for Thanksgiving, it’s only a matter of time before Pinterest bombards us with images of stuffed pilgrims monitoring our children before the turkey sacrifice.
Embracing Everyday Magic
Life is inherently magical. Just take a moment to breathe and appreciate your surroundings. The world is filled with wonder, even without glitter and sweets. Instead of teaching our kids to expect constant amazement, let’s encourage them to cherish the beauty around them. It’s truly enchanting in its own right.
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Summary
The article critiques the trend among some parents to overly embellish holidays, arguing that life is already magical without unnecessary enhancements. Instead of fostering a culture of constant amazement, we should teach children to appreciate the simplicity and wonder of everyday life.