New Appreciation for the Holidays

Have you ever seen that picture on social media stating “I used to think being a kid on Christmas was the best thing ever. But it turns out having kids on Christmas is.”

Well this saying really rang true for me this year. My heart is full and it has nothing to do with the amount of gifts that were under the tree.

With unexpected things coming up here and there within our families, Christmas worked out a little differently than in the past. It wasn’t necessarily hectic as our get-togethers were spaced out but it was still a busy time.

Our girls handled the travel well and were always eager to talk to anyone who would listen about Santa.  After all, they had met the man in red four times this year (from parades to Santa trains) so when reminded, they would act especially good in case he was watching.

Their faces when they met Santa up close were priceless and something I will never forget.  Yes, Zoey cried when she went to sit on his lap at the mall, but aside from the tears, the look on both of their faces when they saw the infamous man up close was magical;  a mix of bewilderment and sheer joy.

Last minute changes meant that we hosted Christmas dinner this year, and albeit a smaller group, it was by no means a small meal.  The girls gobbled up (no pun intended) their turkey dinners (provided they were given dark meat) and discovered a new found love of mashed sweet potatoes and cranberries. Their manners were great and so were their attitudes.

But the best part of all was when it came to opening their presents. They honestly loved and appreciated every gift they were given. They said thank you to everyone and spent time enjoying each and every present right down to the socks.

They showed just as much joy when handing out gifts to others. They would constantly go back to the tree to find something for Gramma and Papa and their cousin. Their excitement was contagious and we all agreed, that although this Christmas was very different, is was one of the best Christmases yet.

Dr. Seuss said it best “Maybe Christmas doesn’t come from a store.  Maybe Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more.”