If I haven’t already told you… I LOVE Christmas. I have loved Christmas all my life. I think my mother made me and siblings love it. She would get so happy and it was contagious. It’s not about material things. Sure getting and more importantly giving presents is a part of the actual Holiday, but everything else about the Christmas season is why I love it.
I am a Catholic and try to celebrate Advent (the four Sundays before Christmas) by looking at myself and how I can be a better person as we prepare for Jesus. It is the chance to truly immerse myself in the Bible readings. I realize that I should attend to the readings all year long and this is one of my goals for the new year.
I find the Christmas spirit in the little things too. The radio station I listen to starts to play Christmas music before Thanksgiving. I realize most people don’t like this but it gets me in holiday mood. On my radio station, at first the holiday music is more secular, but as Christmas nears it plays more traditional ones. Somehow, Christmas music lifts my spirits, even when I first had the stroke and was dealing with depression.
I also look forward to watching holiday movies, especially the ones on the Hallmark channels. This only happened for the past 4 years or so when my daughter in law told me about them. Some people make fun of them because they are formulaic. But even these people seem to get into them if the movies are on in the room. I love to watch them. They are unrealistic and corny. I think, I simply like that people in the movies change throughout the movie and there is always a sense of hope.
I love decorating. I think I may be a Christmas hoarder. Lol. I have some Christmas decorations from my childhood that my mother gave me. From Thanksgiving on, every room in my house is “Christmasy”. We use Christmas glasses, cups and dishes. There is garland and poinsettias everywhere. There is a crèche. This is my most important decoration. My husband and I received the pieces from friends in Atlanta and the manger was made by my husband’s uncle, Gene. Most years I make Christmas cookies to share with family and friends and we always have family over.
So now the countdown to Christmas begins for most everyone else. Today is the 12th day before Christmas. You now will see the countdown to Christmas in shopping ads, Food Network will give us the 12 days of Christmas and I will give my granddaughter the 12 days of Christmas gifts. Traditionally the 12 days of Christmas start on Christmas Day and end on January 6 for the feast of the Epiphany. But my mother did the 12 days of Christmas before Christmas when my son was little and she continued for each grandchild after that. I know that if my mother were still alive she would do this for my new granddaughter. I will continue the tradition starting this year. So, starting today and for the next 11 days, my granddaughter, Kiera, will open one gift from “grandma”. I can’t wait to see if she likes the little gifts to countdown to Christmas. I look forward to sharing my love for Christmas for many years to come.
コメント