Tis the Season

I love everything about Christmas - the cards, music, decorations, gifts, the food, the tree, and most important of all, the celebration of our Savior's birth. Our house usually has a mix of Thanksgiving and Christmas decorations in the month of November. A few Christmas things are beginning to make an appearance in our home. Today and this week my son and I will work at festooning our home with evidence of this winter holiday.

Today we have Christmas music playing and already made a batch of sugar cookies. Orange dreamsicle cookies are the next on the list. I even purchased my Christmas cards last week. Most years I hand stamp my own cards, but this year I am running behind schedule with trying to write and work on my novel and various assignments. (I usually would have them all made by now).

I figured I'll be able to work on my Christmas cards on the long car trip to Maine and back home again. I'll return home with something already accomplished for the holiday. If I get a few minutes, I'll also work on writing our family Christmas newsletter which we include in each of our cards.

For me, the Christmas season is a time for joy and celebration. I love sitting in the living room with all the lights off, except the Christmas tree lights. I huddle under a warm blanket, soft music plays in the background, as I sip a warm beverage. I love having quiet days with my family, basking in their presence, playing games, watching a movie (Lord of the Rings), and celebrating Jesus' birth. It's always wonderful if it snows too. 'Tis the season to prepare for Christmas.