These are a few of my favorite things!

Merry Christmas, everyone!

I’ve been wracking my brain for what to write about this week.  After all, the blog is published on Christmas Day this year, so it must be inspiring, enlightening, and extra special!  Alas, I could not land on a single idea, so (que the music) here are a few of my favorite Christmas things:

1.  Giving.  Our family started out with not much to give since hubby was in school for so long!  Since coming back to Mississippi in 2005, we’ve made it a priority to give, especially during the month of December.  As a family, we choose some organization, effort, or mission we believe in, and we do our best to really bless them.  In turn, we are blessed.

2. Participating.  I love to recall the church Christmas productions in which my boys participated as small children.  Nate played Joseph one year, and Eli was (delightedly) called upon to be a wiseman another year.  (He’s always had a fascination with wearing facial hair.)

3. Hosting.  We usually host at least one Christmas party, and sometimes many more.  There’s nothing like a party on the horizon to energize me to decorate!  The house always looks, smells, and feels more like Christmas with a gathering of friends and family.  For a few years, we would go to my sister’s before Thanksgiving and lug over her 8’ round collapsible table and 8 of her old dining chairs, set them up in the library, and keep them there through the holidays, needing that extra seating for various get togethers!

4. Celebrating.  Attending choir concerts, special ballets, banquets, and watching classic Christmas movies always brings us back to the Reason for the season.  I’m so grateful for our nation’s Christmas traditions, with all the lights and decorations, that point to the most important event in the history of the world.  Even Walmart closes to celebrate the day!

5. Greeting.  It used to be so stressful trying to come up with a unique idea for a Christmas card photo, of all things!  Not only that, but I felt like I had to have my labels printed, my stamps at the ready, and my return address stamp near my hand while waiting for the card to be printed, so the greetings could go out on December 1.  It’s fun, but how silly of me!  Maybe all those events I was hosting made me feel that way, because I certainly don’t feel any pressure this year! (You should have gotten your card by now, though!)

6. Reuniting.  This is something I will truly miss this year.  We try to see family and friends in Houston before or after Christmas Day every year.  I hope you all send us Christmas cards this year.  I miss you!!!

7. Baking.  I rarely give myself permission to bake because I’ll eat it all up!  When I discovered a local restaurant’s recipe for gingerbread men in a magazine in 2005, I not only gave myself permission to bake, but I mandated a new tradition!  Anyone who says they don’t like gingerbread has never tried this gingerbread!  Half of the recipe makes enough for friends and family to decorate the entire month of December whenever they stop by for a visit.

Thinking of my visitors, I hope my list brings a smile to your face on this Christmas morning and gently nudges you to consider what makes Christmas so special for you and yours! I pray today is full of joy, peace, and the love of God!