The Best Gift

The closer it gets to Christmas, I reflect about what exactly makes a grand Christmas. I have seen open ended sentences on Facebook that say, "My wish this Christmas is _______."  As I thought about these two concepts, there is not a one word answer in my mind.

Why? Let me start with the open ended, "My wish this Christmas is ______." Are you ready?

• Peace on Earth (yes, a typical Miss America answer, but truth)
• Respect 
• Love for one another or at the very least a polite tolerance
• Honesty
• Empathy
• Loyalty
• Humility
• Compassion
• Fairness
• Responsibility
• Integrity
• Perseverance
• Politeness
• Self-discipline

The top wish could be accomplished if we all had the next thirteen qualities within us all. 

So now to move on to what makes a Grand Christmas. It is true for this family, in that it is a Happy Family all wrapped up in each other. It is the best gift of all and what makes Christmas such a happy time? Steve and I have had Christmases where it is just the two of us in body, however, this does not stop the spirit of being happy and all wrapped up with the rest of our family. Then, we have also had Christmases with almost the whole crew in one place at one time. It is loud, boisterous and fun. It is most definitely a happy time for all of us to be together. We also understand that with four children on two continents and in three states, plus their significant others and our own extended families adding more continents and states, that it will be great when even just some of us can physically get together.

When we can't, which happens, let it be and enjoy the beauty of the spirit of Christmas. With the technology of today, even more can be shared through video chats. 

One Christmas before any of our children were married, we flew two children with us to England, one was already over on business nearby and flew in to meet us and one was already there. We all met up at Steve's mum's small, quaint house. It was a Christmas that none of us will ever forget. The turkey that Angela had purchased from a local butcher barely fit in the tiny oven in the tiny kitchen. We also discovered that she had done away with most all of her dishes, pots and pans, utensils, etc. So out we go to get what we needed to make a very memorable Christmas in England. Definitely, a happy family all wrapped up in one another. This is a part of what happy memories are made of, just not the only way. 

My wish to you is that you have a very special Christmas, whoever you spend it with, just knowing that those who could not make it to be with you, still have you wrapped up in their thoughts, as you do them.

Ho Ho Ho Ho Ho Ho Ho Ho Ho Ho Ho