When I was a child, I loved Valentine’s Day! The hearts, the red and pink, the balloons, and the candy! Every February 14th, I woke up, went into the kitchen, looked on the table, and saw a card and Skittles or Starbursts from Dad; and, next to my stash was a card and box of chocolates for Mom – Dad never forgot. It was a small gesture which I looked forward to every year. Mom is not a huge gifts person, and Dad was not either, so I do not remember either of them making a huge deal over V-Day. For me, Valentine’s Day was about passing out little cards to classmates and eating myself sick with … [Read more...]
Ten Ways to Spread Christmas Cheer
“Christmas time is here. Happiness and cheer. Fun for all that children call their favorite time of year. Snowflakes in the air. Carols everywhere. Olden times and ancient rhymes of love and dreams to share. Sleigh bells in the air. Beauty everywhere. Yuletide by the fireside and joyful memories there.” (from A Charlie Brown Christmas) When I read these words, I envision animated children and a lovable beagle skating on a pond and my heart smiles. How many of us cannot celebrate Christmas without thinking about Charlie Brown, a sad but adorable tree, and Linus teaching us about the true … [Read more...]
Compatibility in Gift-Giving
“Oh, do you draw names?” my mother-in-law asked when I explained my traditional family Christmas Eve celebration. “No,” I replied, “Certain people in the family shop for the whole crowd while others of us are not expected to give.” Sound strange? It probably is, but every family has its own idea of normal. Sometimes “normal” is simply a random decision someone made one year which was repeated until it was considered tradition. Once something is considered the way we do it, it can be difficult to make a sweeping change. Someone will likely be upset; and, since such change involves one of the … [Read more...]
Have Yourself a Simple Little Christmas!
Ever since I was a small child, Christmas Eve has been one of my favorite days of the year – if not my favorite. It is difficult to capture in adulthood the magical feeling I experienced in those days. On Christmas Eve morning, I could hardly contain my excitement. Tonight, is the family Christmas party! As my mom prepared food and juggled the 100 items on her to-do list, all I could think about was hanging out with cousins, eating yummy foods and desserts, and, of course, ripping into those presents! The day would drag on and I would nag Mom and Dad about when we were leaving. Finally, we … [Read more...]
Twenty-Five Simple Ways to Enjoy Christmas
If ever there was a time I would love to revisit, it is childhood at Christmastime – back when Christmas was magical and simple. The frantic cooking and last-minute shopping were all lost on me as I could not think of one reason not to love everything about my favorite holiday: the lights, the decorations, the presents under the tree, the family time... it was the most wonderful time of the year. Somewhere along the way, I grew up and started worrying about typical adult Christmas worries. Are the gifts I bought good enough? Is the food I brought to the party tasty enough? Is everyone … [Read more...]
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