It's Christmas in November. Stores are full of green and red decorations, twinkling colored lights, silver and gold wrapped packages and all sorts of toy displays. Even though commercialism has long since exploited the holiday season, and the decorations are out before the Harvest Festival candy is eaten or the Thanksgiving Turkey is on the table ... I enjoy it. I LOVE Christmas and everything it represents. Spiritually, traditionally, and emotionally. I love the celebrations, the story of Jesus' birth, the softer side of people you see. I enjoy the electricity and excitement in the air too!I do, however, observe the LEAST self control of all during the holidays. I love to give presents. It thrills me to see the joy on the faces of those I'm closest to. I've always tried to make Christmas a happy memory for my kids...even during the hardest of times. I miss my grown children and grandkids so, it's very difficult for me to celebrate without them. But, I'll find a way to make sure they know I'm there in spirit and that will bring me as much joy as if I were sitting there watching them rip off the pretty paper.
Our family usually goes to church on Christmas Eve so that Christmas morning is ours. We hang out in comfy clothes (sweats, etc.) and have a nice breakfast...then graze and snack all day. No formal meal for us. We watch a new dvd, play a new board game (usually everyone gets a movie, a book, a game or some dice/cards and some sweats for Christmas in addition to a few other items).
What is your favorite holiday and what family traditions do you have?
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We go to church on Christmas Eve. It is beautiful. It is a candle light service and we sing Christmas Carols. Anticipation is in the air to get home and celebrate. Heartfelt worship songs are sung by the believers and unbelievers alike.
Then we rush home and either have appetizers, or a meal. This year I think I'll do a spiral ham for the family. In the past just my brother and his family and my parents have come. Maybe this year my sister (or better yet sisters) will be there too. We open gifts, some times we sing carols, and we munch on home baked Christmas cookies.
Christmas morning my immediate family wakes up nice and early to open gifts, but before we open gifts we crack open the bible and read the story of Christ's birth. I love the excitement on the kid's faces. We take turns opening our gifts leaving the person who just opened to hand out the next gift.
Then we put on our comfy clothes and had to B's parents for a nice big breakfast of scrambled eggs and french toast and bacon - oh, and Orange Juice. We open more gifts and take more pictures.
After that, we head home and spend the day enjoying our new gifts.
I do love Christmas, but I hate all of the hustle and bustle that comes before it, and I hate how commercialized it has become. It is so hard to keep the "commercialism" out of it.
B despises Christmas and all of the stress that it brings. His favorite holday is Thanksgiving.
Great post sis!
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