My Favorite Things

Now that the Christmas season is in full swing (like it hasn’t been in full swing since Nov. 1), I thought I would share some thoughts on my favorite holiday of all!

First, I love, love, love the anticipation. I’m not so excited for the actual day to arrive (because then it will be over), but it makes me absolutely giddy to think I have a whole month leading up to the observed anniversary of the birth of my Savior! That means 25 days of Christmas music on every station.  Twenty five days of listening to the Christmas Canon (the Trans-Siberian Orchestra version with the kids). Twenty five days of my favorite songs on my iPod. (I’ve temporarily deleted all songs not Christmas from my iPod for the season.) But I’ll switch my Holly station on Sirius XM to Holiday Traditions (or vice-versa) if a version (any version!) of Twelve Days of Christmas comes on. Or the Christmas Shoes song (it makes me cry).  Anyway, a list of things I DON’T like about the season is material for another post someday.

Moving on…twenty five days of admiring my Christmas trees. We used to only have one and we would try to decorate it with all the pretty gold ribbons and balls, and then mix in the Hallmark ornaments and homemade ornaments. It never turned out quite like the holiday magazine covers. So, a couple of years ago, I came across this crazy good deal on a 7’ slim, pre-lit (with colored lights!) tree to go in my kitchen area. Let me tell you, finding such a fantastic deal on that tree made my season. Now, I get to decorate the “fancy” tree with the clear lights in the living room with all kinds of gold balls, ribbons and glittery creations, while also getting to wax nostalgic every time I look at my “family” tree.  

I love that family tree. Nestled among the branches is Josh’s first ornament: a Styrofoam flat-bottomed bowl with a picture of him pasted on and surrounded by glitter. There is the blue satin ornament of Caleb’s decorated with snowmen, cleverly created when his teacher pressed his tiny little fingers into white paint and then onto the ball. And there are Anna’s handmade ornaments, unique creations assembled with butterfly paper clips, silk rose buds, Popsicle sticks, hot glue and her own unique style. And we really enjoy putting up all the Hallmark ornaments, too. Each one brings back a special memory.

I’m looking forward to 25 days of giving myself a free pass (or, at least a more liberal pass) when it comes to Christmas cookies , especially the Sour Cream Cookies my Aunt Evelyn so lovingly prepares each year – I know she shares them with others, but I like to think she puts forth the effort just for me.  She always sends me home with a tin full of Heaven on Earth after our family Christmas celebration each year. Several years ago I came up with the bright idea to bring chocolate chip cookies – decoy cookies – to our Christmas gathering, slyly arranging them in front of the Sour Cream confections so as to trick the little ones (who can’t possibly appreciate MY cookies) into filling up on those instead of those rare little gems I get only once a year. But their palates are getting more sophisticated and they are catching on. I may have to add decoy brownies, too, this year.

And how about all those wonderful Christmas shows on TV? I remember the joy I had when I was a little girl and Mom, my brother and I would look through the TV Guide this time of year to mark all the shows we wanted to watch: Rudolph, Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town, The Little Drummer Boy – pretty much all the claymation cartoons. Plus, Frosty and The Grinch. Even today, if I come across The Year Without a Santa Claus, that’s where my surfing ends and my viewing begins.

Those classic kids’ shows don’t appeal to my own children much, though. Caleb is all about the Home Alone trilogy (or are there four?).  And the kids like the Christmas specials of their favorite Disney Channel characters (Good Luck, Charlie and Wizards of Waverly Place, for example). But nothing, and I mean nothing, is funnier to Mark and me than National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. (Drumroll, please. Drumroll!) Every line, every gesture, every sarcastic comment makes us laugh out loud. Our everyday conversation throughout the year is peppered with one-liners from that movie. We’re kind of weird that way. And no Christmas season would be complete without It’s a Wonderful Life (love me some Jimmy Stewart) and A Christmas Carol (I like the version with George C. Scott).

There is so much more that I love about this season, culminating with the birthday of Jesus, and I’ll share more some other time, but those are just some of the things that bring me joy this time of year. What makes your season merry and bright?