Relishing the Holiday Season
Thanksgiving has come and gone, and the Christmas season has arrived! Our Thanksgiving was full of gratitude, thankfulness, and amazing food with even better leftovers! Now, Christmas lights twinkle up and down every street, trees are trimmed, and chimneys are ready for Santa’s big night on the 25th!
Every year, I look forward to the holiday season because of the magic in the air. Spirits are high, and all is merry and bright. But the thing that truly excites me the most about Christmastime is the opportunity to get in some great family bonding with the people who matter to me the most. Our Christmas traditions usually look the same each year — we all gather at my house for a large, festive Christmas celebration. Some of my children live out of town, so getting everyone together each year is nearly impossible, but we always try!
Over the few days surrounding the holiday, we enjoy each other’s company, play games, share stories, reminisce, laugh, goof off, and have a genuinely grand time together. On Christmas Day, we exchange gifts, but I always emphasize that it’s not the price or the size of the gift that matters — it’s about the thoughtfulness behind it. After all, the greatest gift of all is being present in the moment and enjoying being together.
This season, no matter what holiday you celebrate and how you celebrate it, I encourage you to embrace quality time with your family, friends, and loved ones. Christmas is the best time to put your work on pause, shed your reservations, embrace your inner child, reminisce on great memories, and just let loose.
This past year has been another difficult yet rewarding one. As we continued to navigate our way out of a pandemic, things haven’t been easy and have challenged each of us in different ways. However, we learned new ways to adapt and roll with the punches, only to come out stronger and more resilient. As I look back on 2022, I also look forward to an even better year in 2023 for all of us!
So, as you decorate your homes, bake cookies for Santa, prepare your holiday menus, get some holiday shopping done, and relish the festivities and joys of the holiday season, remember to take time for family and friends!
From my family to you and yours, Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! I look forward to seeing each of you in the new year!