Christmas is almost here. I have heard a few of my children remark that they are so excited for Christmas and that is really happy. They are excited because they have something to be excited for. That means I am accomplishing what I hope to accomplish! The mountains around us are covered in snow but down in our valley the grass is green and we have had twenty days of rain and grey clouds. There was a few minutes today when the sun came through and that was really lovely. My husband is away, he was having a hard time with the rain and grey and our house being overwhelming and more. So he went away for two days just for a mental health break. Where he went is snow and sunshine and crisp cold. I think it was a really good choice for him and I hope it will sustain him for a while.
Do you remember being excited for Christmas as a child? I remember my mom used to bake gingerbread men and we could decorate them. I remember going out into the forest on our property with my dad and siblings to pick out a little scraggly but perfect tree for the big old farm house living room. I remember sitting in front of the cracking fires during the winter and writing stories. We didn't have a TV through my childhood years. I remember skating on our frozen creek in the winter. I feel like I was reenacting a moment from Little Women as I wore a skirt and scarf for a hat. I remember making strings of popcorn and Christmas decorations for the tree and paper chains for my bedroom. Sometimes at Christmas people would bring us hampers with gifts and food as sometimes my parents were struggling. I remember my aunties would buy me a jogging suit and I remember this amazingly perfect porcelain doll that had red hair and green eyes that they gave me. My aunties were so faithful in giving such sweet gifts and remembering us all. I am now forty three and they still remember my family and send money for gifts each year. My dad and mom would cook a turkey dinner for us and sometimes other family members. Christmas was something different than the every day. We were excited for it.
I hope that this year my children get up on Christmas morning filled with excitement. Excitement in anyone is something not to take for granted. When have you last felt that childhood excitement? Was it just the other day or has it been years?
It's a precious emotion that is expressed so often in childhood but less and less as an adult I feel.
May you feel excitement this Christmas and beyond ~
xo
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