Christmas, my all time, most favorite time of the year. I wish the feelings I have at Christmas would carry over to the other 11 months. What is it about this particular holiday that makes us feel this way?
For a few years, one of my friends and I would go Christmas shopping on the 23rd of December. We would meet at a 
restaurant in the mall for dinner and a couple of drinks, then hit the stores. We would get it all done in a couple of hours, and we found everything we needed to pick-up, plus a couple of great deals for ourselves. I miss those days.
I miss my boys being little, and coming home with the Christmas tree ornaments that they made in school. I have every last
one of them and they get placed front and center on the tree. I miss them being little and getting excited about going to see Santa at the mall. I would stand as close as I could to them so I could hear what all they were asking for. I would make mental notes, then try to figure out what exactly that one weird toy was. And what about getting up SUPER early on Christmas morning to get the turkey in the oven then wait on the boys to wake up and see all the presents? The look on their faces as they saw all the gifts, and they would say, “LOOK WHAT SANTA BROUGHT ME!!!”
Then there is the baking. As you know, I love to cook, and during the Christmas season I use to do A LOT of baking. I 
would bake for a week straight, then pack it all up in festive tins and pass them out to friends. I would make homemade cookie ornaments for the tree and one year the dogs ate the ones they could reach. I removed the remainder and shellacked them, then I redecorated the tree. That didn’t help, they still ate them. I would start planning our Christmas meal and all the goodies I would be baking the day after Thanksgiving, while most of you were out in the crazy mess called Black Friday. Everything was planned down to the minute. (June Cleaver and Martha Stewart have NOTHING on me!) The shopping list was even arranged by aisle, and I loved every minute of it.
How about the Christmas movies? Personally, I could never get enough of them. This is the first time I have missed not 
having TV, and I’m glad my friends don’t mind me coming over and taking over their TV’s. My favorite movie is It’s A Wonderful Life.
Followed by, Christmas Story, Scrooge, White Christmas, A Christmas Carol, (yes, I know it is the same as Scrooge but, I like it too.) I’m like a 6 year-old when these movies come one, and so far this year, I have missed every one of them. Maybe on Christmas day I can see a couple of them while at my moms.
I have noticed something different this year that really warms my heart. Quite a few people who I know are doing for others instead of buying things for each other. What a novel idea! With things being tight for so many people, why don’t we all do 
something for someone else. You don’t even have to know the person. What about the elderly person down the street that has no family? Don’t you feel he would love to be a part of someones Christmas? What about that military man or woman who is away from their family for Christmas?
We can ALL fit one or two more people around our table this coming Saturday or Sunday, whichever day your family gathers together. Instead of getting your 8 year-old that $400.00 game, why not get him a $200.00 one, then use the rest to help someone else out? One small act of kindness WILL make a big difference in someone’s life. I have enjoyed hearing the stories about people paying off other people’s lay away. It’s about time we hear something good in the news.
I wish you all a Merry Christmas, and remember, do ONE thing.
This is my journey…
