Allow me to introduce myself . . . Warning: I have a gift of "the gab and the patience of Job" that's what I've been told.
My love for Christmas is filled with twisting trails, but it started through my parents. They always made everything so festive. My mom and I would go to the Christmas craft sales and church penny sales in late November. I think taking part in the Christmas Tea with the fancy finger sandwiches and desserts was the best part. Our indoor decorations were up by the second week in December. We went with our dad to find the perfect tree for Christmas. My mom decked the halls and wrought iron railings with cedar boughs, red bows, and silver beads (like mirrored glass). The inside and outside of our home were decorated beautifully. There was a children's tree in the family room (artificial) on which we displayed Disney and other plastic ornaments, garland, and our school crafts.
We still have the same stockings we had as children that are filled each year. If we are not home for the holidays, the stocking finds us. My brother had his shipped to Switzerland one year. The rule is make sure it gets back home before the decorations are put away to ensure they are filled the following year.
I realized growing up that not all of my friends in the neighbourhood or at school were as lucky as I was. As I grew older still, I realized that there were people suffering around the world. Suddenly, if I didn't get the one gift I wanted most on my list it was not a tragedy because I woke up every day feeling loved, important and fortunate.
I think that is why I love Christmas so much. While it brings out the inner child in me, it also brings forth the spirit of Christmas - the spirit of caring about the person next to me in a check out line or the people who lost everything in a house fire the week before Christmas and had no insurance or the people around the world who have very little.
I wish that other people kept the spirit of the holidays all year like so many of us do. Wow! With that, we would have a chance at getting the one gift that tops all of our wish lists, "Peace" and "Good Will Toward Men."
Happy Late Anniversary AMD!!!! It's been wonderful getting to know you this year!
