Christmas is so very special to me, always has been. I have the sweetest memories about Christmas. My parents excelled at making this holiday special for us growing up. It wasn't special because of gifts. It wasn't special because of Santa Claus. It was special because they honored the season by celebrating the birth of Christ, creating traditions, and opening our home to host family and friends.
My memories revolve around family. In 1988 an ice storm hit the evening our Baker family celebrated Christmas at our house. They all spent several nights with us until they could safely drive home. It was awesome!! All of us kids tied wax paper to our hindends for make-shift sleds. One year Jenny and I had Chicken Pox and had to miss Christmas, so the whole family got in the car, drove 30 minutes and caroled us in the front yard. Sniff sniff. My Mama, her sisters and my Grandma would literally spend days in the kitchen preparing a feast. My cousin Stevie and I hid under the table and swiped sweets. We made ourselves sick on Holly Berry Cutouts. My family would kick off the Christmas season with the Springfield Symphony Christmas concert. We would go out to dinner, see the Symphony and then go home and decorate the tree. Christmas to me is obviously Jesus, it is traditions - like Philly Sauce Superb for Christmas breakfast, it is family, it is joyful, it is Important.
Now that I have my babies, it makes me think about how I want to celebrate Christmas with Beau and Lauren. They know Christmas is celebrating Jesus. The church we attend is amazing. They handed out CD's of the Christmas program music so the children could learn the music. We are still "... Tellin' it On the Mountain". He loves it! A Happy Birthday Jesus song has lyrics that hit home, "...all the tensile and lights, they make the holidays nice, but it's all about You. Happy Birthday Jesus. Jesus, I love you." The Playschool manger scene continues to be the center of attention under our tree. I put it out as soon as the tree goes up. Beau said, "Mom! I can't find Jesus' Mom!" Mary was recovered and we sang, "Away in a Manger" with the light up Angel again. Whew!
Yes, we will celebrate Christmas with gifts for our children - but not overboard. My sister said, Jesus got three gifts, can't see why the kids need a whole lot more than that... Agree. Christmas is about giving. Giving not only tangible gifts, but gifts of love, time, service. I want to stand somewhere and ring a bell with Beau. I bet our bucket would be full! Yes we talk about Santa Claus, he is bringing gifts to celebrate the biggest birthday of the year! We'll start making a birthday cake when they get a little bigger. You should hear Bear sing, "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" he sings to sissy that she better not pout, better not whine! I'm too much of a kid at heart to squish Santa entirely, sorry.
"Fortunate are the children of tradition, for theirs is the ability to savor the finer points of life, to understand the often subtle difference between greatness and mediocrity" - Unknown
Merry Christmas
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