Don't let the anti-Christmas crowd kick Christ out of Christmas this year

Woo hoo! I am celebrating today. I'm reallllly into Christmas. Not buying, but in all the lights and pretty things and the kindness and joyful feelings.
Six years ago, my husband retired from the Navy and we came across country to settle. The movers lost my adult life's collection of ornaments. All my kid's contributions, different ones from every duty station, all my friends always gave me ornaments, even when they didn't know I collected them.
They were very precious to me. I've spent many a time thinking of my ornaments, missing them, my eyes leaking all over my blouse. But you can't go around whining too awful much you know, so I never said too much. But occasionally something would remind me of another one I'd lost and the loss would just stab through me. Last night I went into our garage to get some books I want to give the grandbabies, and the books weren't there. I've seen them there for years, but nope, they weren't there. But there was this small bin. And in the bin were my precious ornaments. Son was with me, helping me look, and he was saying "are you sure these are the ones?" I pulled up one, his first Christmas, back in '90. Yeah, these were the ones. I can't tell you how happy it made me. I am still crying every time i go look at them. (from happiness)

You know, it's weird for me, an atheist, to find so much to like in your post. I really LIKE the idea of Christmas, for the very reasons behind your sentiments. My family is a mess, I don't speak to half of them, and I'm not married and don't have kids, and most of my Christmases have been disasters--so many fights and bad feelings--that several of my latest Christmas days have been spent alone in bed with the phone off.

So it gives me a lot of pleasure to read your sentiments--even this early in the year. I hope you have a great Christmas.

Oh you poor thing! (hug) MY family is a mess (mom and sibs) and I don't speak to ANY of them!

I've had to make the break and not look back to see if others disapproved. For my own peace of mind. Knowing there is a Creator that cared for me, His creation, has brought me peace of mind.

Years ago, i decided that since I love Christmas so much, I'd extend it year round. So now I make a point to let people in the flow of traffic when I'm in the car, to let someone ahead of me in line if they have just a couple of things, to go a step further than i have to. I smile at strangers. That's actually easy down here in middle GA, since many others greet strangers too. Just little things. But it's about me, not them. I do it secondarily for them, I do it mostly for ME, because that's how I want to define myself, as that kind of person.

I want to be someone who loves and loves life. I want to just take bites of it! I have found joy in a family of my own, that's true. Joy greater than i've ever known, in my children (all boys and i'm intensely proud of them) I wanted to give them more than i have gotten from my family and i have. I wanted to make the future different than the past, and in them, i have.
I do a lot of introspective thinking too, and for me, praying has helped with that.

I also love my man and he loves me. I haven't always had that. It does feel good to be loved. Sooo good.

I wish that for you, to know the joy of love and life. To me, epitomized by the Christmas spirit.

Merry Christmas!

I am so into Christmas too! I just went out this weekend and bought a bunch of cool lawn ornaments!! I can't wait until just after Thanksgiving when I get to put them up! I've got two penguins, a deer, a giant inflatable Santa, The words NOEL, some candy canes!!! I am so hooked up! :) I don't mind Christmas in the stores already - I love it!

I'm really glad you found your ornaments! I can just imagine how precious mine will be to me 20 or 30 years down the road after we have kids. :)

They will be very precious to you. As mine are. I cried all evening (from happiness)
One of my favorites. I don't "do" Santa, but i caved on this one....It's a bungee jumping Santa. It's got this little Santa all splayed out, and on his back is a spring you hang it by. I loved it SO MUCH that i went and bought one for each son (four at the time) I've looked for it on the 'net for years, while I thought mine were gone, but no luck. And i'm a very good searcher. But now we have them back. (happy sigh)
I'm definitely doing the happy dance.

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