In my last blog I urged you to “Put the iPhone Down!” and enjoy Christmas through your own eyes – not through the 4 inch screen on your smartphone.
This holiday season I did just that. I went to 3 Christmas parties in total – all without my smartphone. Let me tell you, it wasn’t easy. However, doing this opened my eyes to a lot. I’m not going to say that my findings will be the same for every family and every party, just mine. This is what I discovered about others and myself this Christmas:
For the most part, everyone had their phones down – which was surprising. I know how much the teenagers in my family are attached to their phones – I even get Facebook updates, Snapchats and Vine videos to prove it. However, this holiday they were fully present. They weren’t posting photos on Facebook of the Christmas tree, or sending out pictures of what food was on their plate. Instead they were doing the Christmas crafts that my aunt laid out and having conversations.
I noticed that the men in the family brought out their phones when watching NFL games on Sunday night – I blame the horrible performance of both the Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears for this. They needed something to keep their minds off how terrible Jay Cutler is.
A lot of phones came up when it came time to taking family pictures. Long gone are the days of the digital camera. With iPhone and Droid-based phones having high-quality cameras there is no need to carry around two electronics when the one will suffice.
Now it’s time to talk about myself. Each party was much more enjoyable without the distraction of my phone. I didn’t care to share what I was doing on Facebook, nor upload a photo on Instagram. I spent each night engaged with loved ones and enjoying every moment of the holiday. One thing that was difficult was not being able to take pictures, but I knew that my family members had that covered.
To sum it up – it seemed like my family really understands the importance of the holiday. It isn’t taking to your friend who isn’t with you, or sharing your celebration with others in the exact instant. Christmas time is about making memories with loved ones by living in the moment and appreciating all that is around you. I hope you did that this Christmas and will continue for all the years to come.
Happy Holidays!