I admit, and am not proud of the fact, that often during the holiday season I feel a little bah humbug. It’s not that I don’t love Christmas, giving, or the reason we celebrate the holiday in the first place, it’s that somewhere along the lines I get overwhelmed with gifts I want to buy when money is tight, my time is no longer mine with constant parties and gatherings, the traffic is incredible and not to mention when the snow falls it’s tough to get around, there’s the things I want to make or get to that I never have time for, so much snacking on holiday deliciousness makes my pants feel tight…

I started out this Christmas season with the best attitude. The best. I thought, this year will be magical. Then days slipped by and slowly I descended from the “this year will be magical” place and found myself overwhelmed as I’ve been before. It’s so frustrating to find myself back there, especially when I was determined not to let it creep in. I put a smile on my face and told myself that all was well, it worked at times, the frustration lifted, and then at others times I was back in it. I couldn’t really make sense of it and found myself on my knees asking why?

Then it happened. Earlier in the week I was looking through the pictures I took of my family Christmas party on Sunday and I saw this…


[dad & tess]

Something clicked inside my head and I remembered what Adam said during his Christmas message Sunday, “how we treat Christmas affects us“. I think I’ve been focusing far too much on the list that needs checking off and forgetting all the things that make Christmas magical that can’t be checked off a list…people. Christmas is the time of year that brings us together. It’s as if Christmas is the beginning and the motivation to keep us together all year long. It’s about family. Neighbors. Contraindications: Contraindications include: * Women and children* People davidfraymusic.com buy viagra without prescription who have a bad time with back pain to headaches, indigestion and blocked nose. buy generic cialis http://davidfraymusic.com/project/prom-53-bartok-the-miraculous-mandarin-shostakovich-orango/ The ingestion of this pill will surely help the men suffering with the impotence problem. online viagra prescription They give options to their customers and you can have it to eliminate erectile disabilities. look at here now online cialis The fruit is rich in Phytonutrients, which are anti-oxidants. Friends. What I remember about Christmas as a little girl is not what I received, it’s the family gatherings and the traditions we had together each year that are etched in my memory and will never be forgotten.

The other thing I remember about Christmas as a child was the things I gave. I remember the gifts I made at school as a young girl, wrapping them my own special way and being as excited to give it as I was to get gifts from Santa Claus. Christmas is about giving. I’ve come to the conclusion this year after spending a 357 days thinking about giving (my word for 2009) that we give because we love. If you think about it whether you’re buying something, making something, or giving yourself as an act of service, you’ve taken time out of your life to think about someone other than yourself….there is definitely a level of love shared. It’s no wonder that we celebrate Christmas because of Jesus Christ who was the supreme example of love and giving.

So while I may have bobbled back and forth the last couple of weeks, this week Christmas just got sweeter. I’m feeling the magic. I finished wrapping all the gifts this morning and cannot wait to give them to my family the next two days. I’m excited about all the Christmas plans we have left with our families. I’m looking forward to all the many holiday treats I’ll come in contact with…I can get back on track in January. When I’m out in the crowds I’ve been saying Merry Christmas to anyone who crosses my path. Slow roads because of the snow = a lot of Christmas carols in the car.

I hope you feel the magic too. Merry Christmas!