The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

I absolutely love the holiday season. From Thanksgiving week until after the New Year, the world is just a different place - in many ways. Some of the changes are so pleasant while others can be a little frustrating. I know some people say they hate the holidays or they're glad when the holidays are over, and they have all kinds of reasons for feeling that way. As I said, I love the season even if there are some aspects of it that drive me a little crazy. So I just wanted to take a few minutes and share some of the things I love, and others that I don't love, about the holiday season.

In no particular order....

• I love Christmas music on the radio
• I don't always love the DJs playing the music, they can be annoying.
• I don't always love some of the "Christmas" songs they play. For example the song about the child's mother dying, and the song about the Christmas donkey... please, people.
• I love the smell of Christmas trees and baked goods!
• I love the romantic lighting our Christmas tree creates in our living room and often that is the only light we use in the evenings (while enjoying the Christmas music, of course)
• I love the "holiday spirit" when people can be so generous and warm and giving
• I don't love the incredible traffic around Columbia in the last week or so before Christmas and immediately there after. Thirty minutes of traffic for a gallon of milk is over the top.
• I also don't love how inconsiderate people can be, especially on the road. No one wants to die at Christmas, rules of the road still apply!
• I love love love being able to buy things for my family and friends that I know they'll love! I don't have money to do that kind of stuff throughout the year, but I keep that Christmas savings for a reason :]
• I love giving presents even more than shopping for them!!
• I love the parties and gatherings that happen over the holidays. Thanksgiving is always the kickoff. Then, we have a Thanksgiving with Josh's college roommates, his brother hosts a football game the Saturday after Thanksgiving, we usually get together with all of my siblings including my step-brother Rick and his wife Annie for a dinner after Thanksgiving, then begin the office and friend Christmas parties, our actual Christmas celebrations with our families, a cocktail party with Josh's college friends and then a big fancy outing with Josh's company at the Marriott in Annapolis... ahh, so much fun, family and friends in 2 months time :]
• I do not like when the holiday season ends. I'm depressed when the decorations get taken down and the Christmas music goes away. And when all the parties are over. Presidents' day is just not a good follow-up to Thanksgiving-Christmas-New Year.
• I love the Christmas specials! Rudolph, Frosty, and of course the Peanuts :] In my family, Christmas Vacation is another holiday classic. My siblings and I send an inordinate number of texts to each other quoting lines from that movie back and forth.
• I love being reminded of my salvation and just how magical and miraculous it is that all-powerful God cares about little old me, and did 2000 years ago too.
• I love most of all that I'm blessed enough to have a list like this.

How about you? I hope you all have a wonderful holiday season and take some time to reflect on some of the things you love about it, including just how blessed we all are.

Merry Christmas, and all the best wishes for many blessings in 2010!