What Christmas Means to Me!

What Christmas Means to Me is one of my favorite Christmas songs.

From Stevie Wonder to Hanson- it's a great song. I think it embodies the excitement of Christmas and makes you think about what Christmas means to you.

Christmas means to me...

A reminder of Mary and Joseph. The cold night and the miraculous birth. The angels and the shepherds. A a little baby boy who was born to die and died so that we may live! 

(*you definitely want to check out my Mary Christmas post from last year)

Christmas shopping with my mom. Making a budget, making a list, and buying everyone something special. 

Christmas music - reminding us of the joy of Jesus' birth, the beauty of redemption, the treasure that is family and friends, freedom and love. 

Christmas parties at work and celebration with my students. The beauty of campus decorated for the season. 

The house warmly decorated with festive touches. Ornaments thoughtfully placed on the tree.

Constant Christmas music and the sounds of the season.

Christmas candles burning and my senses coming alive with the feeling of the season. 

People dressed in boots and scarves and coats and sweaters. And Jack frost nipped noses. My favorite wardrobe.

The anniversary of the time of year that Derrick and I fell in love. Our favorite time of year. 

Christmas photo shoots and Christmas cards.

Elf and The Grinch and sappy, silly Hallmark Christmas movies. 

Jesus' birthday cake and taking turns reading the Christmas story at Derrick's family's.

Games and food and gifts and catching up with my cousins, aunts and uncles. Hopping from one house to another, blessed with the time and sounds and memories of family.

 Christmas morning at my parents. Reading the Christmas story out of my worn green Bible. Sitting amidst piles of presents, shaking boxes and wondering what it could be. A Christmas Story playing in the background. The smell of sausage wafting through the air. Pouring out my stocking to see soap and perfume and shampoo and toothpaste and razors...things I've been rationing for this moment since September. Derrick and my Christmas scavenger hunt. Excitement and the epitome of Christmas morning. 

The bittersweetness of Christmas night. The sadness that it's over. The joy of the memories it left.