Shared experiences and togetherness are the essence of Christmas

Graphic by Leyna Chan

My Christmas in 2022 was completed perfectly with a bowl of clam chowder despite a sprained shoulder.

The sky spun as my ski snagged on a pine tree, sending me hurtling toward the powder drift below. I had aimed to do a left 360 over the tree, but as I caught my ski, the rotation went awry, and I struggled to reorient myself. Moments later, I found myself buried in snow, wincing at the sharp pain in my shoulder. The thick powder on the tree had tangled my skis, causing me to twist and crash into the snow. I was grateful to have survived relatively unscathed— a mild shoulder sprain was a small price to pay. 

It was Christmas Day last year — a beautiful snowy Sunday in Lake Tahoe during a winter trip with my family, going skiing in Lake Tahoe. After nearly eight hours of dropping cliffs and shredding powder all over Palisades Tahoe, I’d had my fill of the wintry afternoon sun and was ready to rest the shoulder I had sprained. 

Perching on a chair behind my car in the resort’s parking lot, I rolled my right shoulder and winced at the flaring pain. As I sat in the car for the 30-minute drive to our lodge, I could feel the chill of the snow melting through the cracks of my ski jacket’s shell. After a day of hardcore skiing, all my body yearned for was a hot shower and some sleep. Distracted by the thrilling rush of skiing, Christmas was the last thing on my mind. 

Arriving at the lodge, my family and I tumbled through the door and into our messy cabin, each of us dripping wet with melted snow. The heater’s warmth embraced us as we filed hastily into the living room, leaving our snowy ski gear by the door. I collapsed onto the couch and mindlessly soaked up the heat, my exhaustion waning with each tingling limb. For dinner, the most our thawing hands could manage was microwaved clam chowder with toasted sourdough bread. 

Despite the food being extremely simple, I loved it. The warm soup served as a perfect remedy for the cold and relaxed my body, easing the pain in my shoulder. Honestly, the homeliness of that microwaved clam chowder beat any fancy food. Sitting down with my family and sharing laughs, love and steaming bowls of clam chowder was exactly what made the holiday special for me. Sitting on the couch, drinking hot chocolate while watching my younger siblings frolic outside in the snow made the experience as magical as it could be.  

When it comes to Christmas and holidays, many families maintain complex traditions that often require much preparation, such as decorating a Christmas tree or hosting extravagant feasts — usually accompanied by gift-giving. Instead of spending holidays breaks arranging such high-effort festivities, I much prefer celebrating the more intimate, basic things in life.

Personally, I think the most important part of a memorable holiday is the attitude that you adopt. For me, being grateful is more than enough. While some people might enjoy performing complicated holiday rituals and enjoying the colorful end results, I don’t need someone to pour absurd amounts of effort into cooking a feast or searching in vain for a costly gift to convey their “heartfelt gratitude.”

Living in a cramped single-room cabin with a throbbing shoulder may sound miserable, but it’s surprisingly heartwarming to spend time with your family all in the same toasty room while snow piles up outside the windows (I can’t deny that the wonder of microwave dinners is enhanced when everyone’s ears are nearly frozen clean off). 

Cherishing the time you spend with family and friends is the essence of the seasonal spirit. And although no amount of planning will match how unexpectedly perfect last Christmas was despite my injury, I’m looking forward to whatever this year’s celebration will be.