Thursday, December 10, 2009

Things I Love About Christmas...

In no particular order...

1. The family gatherings. Over the next three weeks we will gather with various family members at least four times. I'm betting there will be more than that, though! Last year we missed the Hasty Christmas gathering and I hated that. I'm told that there will be family members there this year that haven't been to one since before I was in high school!

2. The Dinner Club Christmas gathering. Traditionally the Bargerons have graciously hosted this event. They're up for it again this year! I love, love any Dinner Club gathering, but this one is, for whatever reason, extra fun and special!

3. The Annual High School Girls' Christmas Dinner at the Bowers' house! Wow! Mrs. Pendy, how many years have we done this now? Eight? Nine? I love it and look forward to putting it on my calendar every year. I have never. missed. one. And I don't plan on missing one anytime soon, either!

4. The Christmas Eve Party at Mom's. This year she suggested not having it because I might not want James to be around everyone. *Ahem* We will have it. We can't not have it! The Doozie ladies and their families gather and it's especially fun since it's pretty much all the kids I grew up playing with. I'm one of the older kids, but it's fun to see everyone anyway!

5. Christmas Eve Service at church. We're discussing going to the 4:30 service this year since that might be easier with a baby. I hate that we'll miss the candlelight service, but it will be fantastic anyway. Who doesn't like hearing the Christmas story and the music. I love Christmas hymns!

6. Christmas movies. How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Charlie Brown Christmas, Santa Clause, etc. I love them all! They warm my heart every year!

7. Christmas trees. We bought an artificial this year so our house doesn't smell light Christmas, but I am no less mesmerized by the lights on the tree. James has been on a blanket on the floor under the tree all week in hopes that he'll be mesmerized as well. It's worked! That boy's been sacked out every day for long naps!

8. Santa Claus! I read a blog post the other day about the real Santa Claus and who he was and why we carry on the tradition year after year. It was fantastic. Feel free to read here.

9. Presents. Not getting them, giving them. I haven't been more excited than I am this year. And it's not that I'm giving anything special, it's just the feeling of giving a gift, isn't it?

10. What the whole season is about. Jesus was born to save us from our sins! Psalm 103:10 really sums up God's love for us, "He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities." Thank goodness! We're so unworthy, so undeserving of His love. Why do we choose to ignore that? I want that to be the focus of my heart and mind this holiday season.

1 comment:

pcb said...

Yay, the high school girls made the list! This is at least the ninth one, maybe the tenth. I always look forward to it.