The Meaning of Christmas.....

Christmas has different meanings to each person.  Some are religious, some are not, to some it's one of the most special days of the year, to some it's just another day.  I'm not going to tell you which one it should be each one of you knows what Christmas means to you and that meaning is what's important.   Don't worry about what everyone else thinks it should be just focus on what it means to you and your family. 

Christmas has always been one of my favorite times of the year.  Not the exact day per say but the whole season.  I love cold weather, snow, hot chocolate, and Christmas lights are one of my favorite things in the World!!  Once I had kids it just became that much better, seeing everything through their eyes as they enjoyed the wonders made it so much more special then before.  I'm a bit of a over achiever when it comes to my kids and the experiences they have ;-)  That doesn't mean everything always works out but you can bet I have a long list of stuff to do and I will drive us all crazy trying to accomplish it.  Crafts, adventures, cookies, it just goes on and on.  I don't want them to be the kids who ten years from now say "I'm going to do this with my kids because my Mom never did it with me". and I don't want to be the Mom who 10 years from now says "I wish I had done this with my kids when I had the chance."  Sometimes I over think it but if you know me you know I over think pretty much everything. 

This year at Christmas I am struggling.  I mentioned last post that November was a rough month and that our schooling had took a back seat.  On Thanksgiving our family lost a beloved member, it was sudden and he was young with so much life left to experience.  To say that it has yanked the rug out from under our little World would be an understatement.  His immediate family, his extended family, his Marine family, and his friends are still trying to make sense of the sad situation,  Me personally I keep waiting on a phone call telling me it was all a mistake or a bad joke.  Most of our family members are now going back and forth between just hiding until the Holiday passes and being determined to still keep Christmas just as lively and joyful as years before.  I find myself caught in the middle.  I won't lie if it weren't for my kids then there would be no tree, no holiday decorations and no Christmas cookies in my house this year.  Some of you will say that's unreasonable but it's the truth.  However since I do have four wonderful kids then the Holiday must go on, they deserve it.  We have decorated, studied the story of Jesus during our school time, made salt dough ornaments, looked at lights, and we are still going strong.

Each year family and friends define the meaning of Christmas for me.  This year will be no different although there will be some sadness underneath it all BUT something that needs to be added to my meaning is being thankful.  I am thankful that I get to celebrate Christmas with all of my extraordinary boys and my wonderful Husband by my side, I'm thankful to spend it with my Parents, Grandparents, Aunts and Uncles, I'm thankful that my sister is right next door safe and sound (even if we don't always see eye to eye), I'm thankful that my boys have my niece, my Aunt's kiddos, and my cousin's kiddos and that as cousins they will spend Christmas together.  Each year I am thankful for these things but this year it's different. 

So as I leave you at the end of my rambling post I ask that whatever the meaning of Christmas is to you and yours this year try to squeeze in something more.  It can be small, a extra night around town to look at lights, a extra Christmas card to someone that you wouldn't usually send one to, a phone call just to tell someone you love them in case that chance is lost, a extra hug to the family and friends around you.  Whatever it may be just squeeze it in there in the day to day stuff, it's important.