Every season starts off the same - waking up at the crack of dawn on Black Friday and trying to convince myself that's officially time to prepare for Christmas. Although there is the music and red and green to prove it, I'm not always feeling it.
Christmas has always been one of my favorite times of the year. However, as I've grown older, added more children to my family and more responsibility to my plate, it's gotten harder and harder for me to find the time to just enjoy the feeling of Christmas. I struggle with finding the joy in shopping and wrapping and giving and baking and decorating and warding off the stress in it all. But I love the memories all that work helps to create.
Christmas music is a constant for us during the month of December. I love it of course because I am a musician, but music also triggers memories. This morning as I drove my children to school I had one such memory trigger. Blue Christmas by Elvis came on the radio and I was immediately taken back, back, back to decorating the Christmas tree with my parents and my brothers. We listened to the same old records every year - Barbara Streisand, Elvis Presley, Bing Crosby. They echoed through the house as we sorted and decorated. We usually had some goodies to munch on and it was just a very lovely time for our family. Everyone was happy - that was the best part. Happy and GOOFY. My Dad would always say just the right thing to send us all into hysterics, snorting our eggnog and choking on our cookies.
So if you find yourself caught up in the hullabaloo that really has nothing to do with the happy feelings of Christmas, take some time to reflect on your happy memories. I like to think about my first Christmas with my husband. I remember opening my eyes and looking up at the ceiling, I remember what song came on the radio, I even remember what I wore to my in-laws for breakfast, because I was so excited.
Bring on the Christmas cheer!
10 December 2008
Christmas Spirit
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7 comments:
Such a cute blog Lei!
This is such a great time of year. It always brings back memories of "Christmas's past" for me too!
great post!! How is your little brother doing?
Thanks for the reminder. It is so easy to get caught up in everything, but we really need to stop, breathe and REMEMBER.
I agree, put on the music and don't stress out. For 3 days I had tree guts all over the living room. Last night I finally got the branches on the base and today the boys decorated it with Bionicles and Tansformers. How festive.
I'm so not feeling it this year. I don't even have my tree up. Thanks for the reminder.
And I posted the large version of my family pic, just for you.
Wonderful reminder, my dear. Money is tight this year so we have been placing very little focus on presents. And you know what? I haven't felt the Christmas spirit like this in a long time!
I love Christmas time! This year I felt like I couldn't get "into" the spirit of it, but sure enough, it found me and now I am just so excited. DH is off for 6 weeks, the kids are happy, and its just going to be so nice to all be together.
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