Christmas Love

Have I told you how much I LOVE this time of year?

I love Christmas music....well most of it. I prefer the classics and don't like most of the remakes and I loathe....yes loathe...the red shoe song.

I love how happy the teachers at school are as they count down the days to their much deserved break.

I love the lights.....not the decorations like the big blow up snow domes and cartoon characters...but I love the lights...especially the little white lights. I love the trees just filled with little white lights...it warms my heart.

I love planning our family get together on Christmas Day. The snacks, the dinner and the desserts. Mmmmmmm!

I love the aroma of cookies baking in the oven. I hate to bake, but this is the one time that the rewards outweigh the hassle....and my family loves cookies. I love making each person's favorite.

I love having our whole family together at Christmas. This is the one time all year that we are able to do that and it means so much to me.

I love hearing Matt get more excited to come home each time I talk to him. His excitement feeds my own until it's almost unbearable.

I love watching Sparky stick her nose in every shopping bag I bring in the house as she searches for her gifts. I honestly think she knows that Christmas means a new toy and a special treat. I love watching her open her own gifts on Christmas Day.

I love the Christmas tree in the evening with the lights shining brightly, and our little fake fireplace with it's warm glow.

I love giving gifts. I love trying to find things that people will truly enjoy and then seeing the happiness on their faces when they open the box.

I love annoying my kids as I carefully smooth crumpled wrapping paper and snatch up pretty ribbons and bows...because I know I will find a good use for them....maybe even to wrap their gifts next Christmas.

I love snow at Christmas. Fresh, fluffy, white and glittery snow as it falls from the sky and rests ever so peacefully on the rooftops and lawns and trees.

Have I told you how much I LOVE this time of year?

The Gift of Giving.....

Every year I ask my family for a little list of things they would like for Christmas. This year we even set a spending limit, so you would think it would be simple. Not so.

Out of 7 potential lists, I have received one! In fact, two people said they have no clue what they want.

Light bulb goes on over blogger's head....

Maybe the reason I am not getting any lists is because no one really "needs" anything....

If that is the case....how blessed and fortunate can one family be?

I will continue to drop e-mails and texts over the course of the next few days, and if I don't get any lists, then I will just "wing it". My family is always very grateful for what they receive so I'm sure it will be fine.

I have already made a note on my calendar on 9/1/2010 that says, "Check into the Adopt a Family for Christmas Program." Someone was telling me about a program where you adopt a military family or a family in need and shop from their wish list. Then the organization delivers the gifts to them for Christmas.

Here is what I envision for next year....

Our family picks a date and we meet at a restaurant for a bite to eat. We go over the wish list of the family we adopted. We decide who is going to shop for what items and then we set a time that we will meet back at one of our houses. When we get back to the house with all of the gifts, we'll sit and talk about our shopping experiences and who got the best deals. We will be laughing while we wrap up all of the treasures we found. When we're done, we will pack up all of the gifts in big shopping bags and include a card that just says....from our family to yours...and we'll take them to the drop off place for the organization.

How awesome would that be?

There is someone at work that does this every year for Thanksgiving and Christmas. His comment today was, "Isn't that what this season is all about....giving?"

Yes, it is and I will share my vision for next year with my family when we get together Christmas Day this year.

Have a wonderful weekend everyone!