What I Love About Christmas
Over the years I feel like
Christmas has become very commercial and is all about material things. I love
Christmas, but despise greed.
I'm not knocking gift giving by any means. Buying presents is fun, but I believe there is a difference between gift giving and greed.
I'm sure Christmas means different
things to different people, especially when it comes to people having different
religious backgrounds and such. I'm just going to share what Christmas means to
me and what I'm proud to say that I have instilled in my children.
My
Memories Of Christmases Past
Growing up, life was hard. I was
raised by a struggling and very hard working single Mom. Even though life was
rough, she always did her best to make sure the holidays were bright for us. I
am going to share some of my favorite Christmas memories...
Well the very first thing that I
was taught growing up was that the true meaning of Christmas is about the birth
of baby Jesus. I know that not everyone believes in Jesus and I'm not one to
shove religion down someone else's throat, so I digress... I will just say that
I have taught my children the same. In my home we believe in the birth of
Jesus.
I remember how exciting it was to
get out of school for the day as a child some time in November and noticing as
I walked home from school that the town had decorated for Christmas while I
was in school all day. I can't tell you how excited this made me!
I remember every year getting a real
Christmas tree. The search for the "perfect" one and the excitement
when we realized we finally found "the one!"
My mother taking my brother and I
around town after dark to see all of the pretty Christmas lights. There's just
something magical about Christmas lights, especially to a child.
Watching my mother decorate the
house, then drinking hot cocoa with my little brother while Christmas music
played on the radio and we decorated the tree. Sometimes if we were lucky
there would be a Christmas special on TV at the same time too!!
Watching ALL of the Christmas
specials I possibly could on TV, especially my favorites which would be all
of the claymations.
My towns annual Christmas
celebration.
As a New Yorker...the magic of snow at Christmas time...
Christmas caroling - I was lucky
enough that I got to do that a couple of times as a child. That was very
special to me. I remember one night when an older
cousin of mine was babysitting me and my little brother, he turned all of the
lights off and turned the TV off.
The only lights on were the Christmas tree
lights. Then we sang Christmas carols. I absolutely LOVED it and that will
always stand out in my mind as a very special memory.
Going to see Santa in the mall and
getting my picture taken with him - always a thrill!
Baking Christmas cookies with my mother and decorating them. Then leaving cookies and milk for Santa Christmas Eve.
But my favorite part of all was
spending Christmas day with my family. My much older brothers would always come
to dinner and sometimes relatives that we didn't see much would stop by or we
would visit them.
So...What Does Christmas Mean To Me?
Don't get me wrong, I loved presents
just like any other kid. Presents are awesome. I'm not knocking presents, but
to me that's just not what Christmas is all about. That's part of it, but not
all of it. For me it's the magic.
Getting in the spirit. Being kind to
one another (which people should do year round and not just at Christmas time),
decorating, looking at Christmas lights with my children now like my mother did
with me.
Getting to play Santa now as a mommy
and seeing the looks on my children's faces when they open their presents.
Baking cookies with my kids like my mother did with me. Passing on all of the
traditions. But most importantly - family.
That is what Christmas means to me.
The warm feeling of togetherness with my family and loved ones. Togetherness
with everyone really...
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