More Holiday Memories
One of the things I enjoy most about getting old(er) is the opportunity to collect memories. Memories are like a good library - the more the merrier. And we always go back to our favorites.
Many of my favorites come from the holiday season. A magical time that combines family, friends, food and fun. Many of the key ingredients necessary to make wonderful memories.
I have fond memories of going through my stocking on Christmas morning looking for the treasures that Santa brought me. My stocking was an oversized wool sock I used when playing hockey on the ice pond we made in the back yard (see the giant sock in the pic). It was the biggest sock I had, more room for Santa to fill with a Slinky, Pez, paddleball thingy, Mad Magazine, candy canes, peppermint life savers, pencils, CrackerJacks, and maybe a small battery operated robot. We would share our finds with each other each time we pulled out a new treasure. So fun.
We tend to form fewer lasting memories as we age. Partially due to biology, I will skip that part, but more often we look at the world differently than we did as a child. The world is not new or as special to us as we age. It needs to be.
Dr. Suess provided some wisdom on the topic when he said “Sometimes you will never know the value of a moment until it becomes a memory”. May I suggest we need to look for more magic in our moments. And to do that I would like to offer a little advice from the experts:
Emotions: Emotions play a crucial role in creating lasting memories. Let’s allow ourselves to “feel”.
Engage multiple senses: The more senses involved in the experience, the more memorable the event becomes.
Novelty and surprise: When something feels new or surprising, it triggers a release of dopamine which enhances memory formation.
Reflection: Revisiting an experience reinforces connections associated with the memory.
Power of attention: By being present, our brain has the best chance to record the moment.
Share with others: Social connections amplify memory formation.
Create a sense of meaning: When an experience aligns with our values or identity, it gains emotional weight.
Deep memories don’t happen by accident (well, sometimes they do). Often they are a product of our emotions, attention, novelty and meaning. We need to look for more magical moments. Moments that can be added to our memory library.
“There are only two ways to live our life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is.”
Albert Einstein
Enjoy your day.
Just a little extra-
Let’s talk about that hockey sock. The one in the picture above. It has been a part of many of my memories, and not always good ones.
I was wearing the sock ( and the match) the first time I needed stitches- hockey puck between the eyes. And I was wearing it the second time I needed stitches- hockey stick above my left eye. Yes, I eventually stopped playing hockey, but not until I broke my arm.
It was such an important part of my Christmas morning, and actually still is. Yes, I still set out my stocking for Santa to fill. It is now placed inside of a “fancy” stocking and Santa leaves me much different surprises. But the sock, that has been a part of my life for so many memories is still there, making new ones each and every Christmas.
I hope the best for your holiday season, filled with many old and new memories.
Oh, hey, before you click out, please leave a holiday memory of yours in the comments below. This could be fun.
References
Markman, Art. April 25,2024. How Your Brain Decides Which Memories to Save. Fast Company
March 25, 2023. The Science Behind Memory. Neuro Science News
Life stories from the holidays