“Christmas is a season of reflection”
“Christmas is a season not only of rejoicing but of reflection”
~ Winston Churchill
During the holiday, we have a list of Christmas music that plays memorable tunes from our past. There are no words, just the delicate piano keys while the orchestra follows gracefully.
We have a moving display on our TV screen, an ongoing visual of different heartwarming scenes, snow softly falling on the outside pine and spruce needles, a living room with a roaring fire, a table set for four, with red napkins, and shimmering water glasses and with candles spread around the room to complete this picturesque view.
With its twinkling lights, our Christmas Tree gives the room a special kind of sacred ambiance and brings my heart to reminisce about Christmas past. I wonder who the kind and giving spirits who touched my heart throughout life were. One of the things that put the movie projector in motion is turning the lights off in the room except for the colorful ones on the tree, and I cozy myself up on the couch with a cup of tea or hot cocoa.
I am then ready to visualize the joys of Christmas past through the rainbow glows on the tree and walls of the prism ornaments.
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One of those Christmas spirits was my father’s mother.
Walking through the door of my grandparent's house was like stepping into a magical realm teasing all my senses. The delicious smells of turkey, the cinnamon in freshly baked pumpkin pie, and the warmth of laughter as my cousins ran to the door to greet us for the festivities ahead. I could hear Bing Crosby singing “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” wafting through the air, which brought deep joy to this child’s heart. My grandfather had Multiple Sclerosis and could barely get out of bed. But when we walked up to his bed, he’d smile, point to his cheek, and gruffly say ~ “Put it right there, baby,” and I’d shyly kiss him. He always laughed afterward.
Christmas Eve was like that for many years until we moved away when I was going into junior high. Yes, I remember the Spirit of Christmas was everywhere in that home. As I write this, I am there, and the warmth around my heart is genuine.
Thank you, Grandma, for teaching me how to spread the joy and love of Christmas to all our hearts through those Christmases of long ago. I feel as though it was yesterday.
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My mom was another who represented the Christmas Spirit. With five kids, money was tight, but during Christmas, oh, you would never know it. Mom would make marshmallow snowmen and cut out hats and little ribbon scarves. She would make a whole snow theme by using tinfoil for the iced pond and little cutout trees, and she used a plastic sleigh, reindeer, and Santa to decorate so we could use our imagination while playing ever so gently with them. Mom wrapped presents like no one I’ve ever known. She added garland, cut out old Christmas cards, and used the design to bring our packages alive.
The story goes that when I was about 2 1/2 years old, my mom stayed up until the wee hours of the morning decorating gifts because Christmas Day would be at our house that year. She had a few hours of shut eye, and when she quietly walked into the living room to get to the kitchen for some well-deserved coffee, every present was unwrapped. Kitchen knives were strewn all over the living room, boxes of half-eaten chocolates, new satin pajamas, and who knows what else. I could imagine her holding her heart with both hands. I was too young, but my older siblings had gotten up early and thought all the presents were for them, so they proceeded to see what they got.
I heard she cried for quite a while before going on to fix them as best she could before everyone arrived.
When I was an adult, my mom lived by herself. She had very little money but always had a gift for us and the grandkids. She would buy small, beautifully decorated cardboard cards that could hang on our trees. And, on the back, she’d write, “I love you all.” I still have some of them and tear up every time I hang them on our tree as I reflect on those moments and her kindness. It has been 24 years since her passing, although I feel her presence moving through me in moments such as this, reminding me she is always close.
Thank you, Mom, for teaching me that the Spirit of Christmas lives in our hearts. No matter what difficulties we face or how little money we have, we can still give, no matter how small, to show our appreciation and to help lift someone’s heart.
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As tough as my dad was in my younger years, his heart softened as he aged. One Christmas, when I was a single parent, I had very little money to get presents for the two younger boys. A week before Christmas, I received a Christmas card from my dad and his wife. When I opened it, there was a check for $100.00. He said he hoped this would help make Christmas a little brighter.
I was so surprised and grateful! I felt like I had won the lottery and wondered what I could buy with this money that would make under the tree look full. Buying a bunch of games was what I decided would work, and off to the toy store I went, smiling at the thought of my dad caring about how the boys and I would get along this season; this made my heart grow ten-fold for his kindness. Thank you, Dad.💖
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After wrapping up all the games on Christmas Eve, I took one last glance under the tree before going to bed and was pleased. It looked pretty plentiful to me, and I was happy.
When the boys walked into the living room on Christmas morning, they were shocked.
One of my sons was a teenager, and the other was in junior high. It didn’t take long for them to notice a pattern with these gifts. They both have a great sense of humor, and they could see I was feeling sad about how many games there were, so they started making jokes. One would hold a present, shake it, and say to his brother, “I think I have ESP…he’d shake it again and say, I think this could be a game of sorts. His brother would say, “No way! I hope so because I love games. Hurry, open it.”
Right there, in that moment, was the Spirit of Christmas. (I’m choking up at this memory)
Whenever we talk about those times, each with their perspective of how these stories played out, they get more exaggerated. They would play on each other, seeing who could make me laugh harder, and the tears I released in those moments were genuine, warm, and so full of love for them. As I think about those times, like now…there are no words to define the depth of my love and connection with them. I know they love me, and these feelings beautifully outweigh the difficult times, hands down, and will stay with me long after I leave here.
Thank you, Johnny, David, and Joseph, for loving me unconditionally. Having you in my life is priceless, and I love you as I breathe and always will.
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I hope you all allow yourselves to feel the Spirit of Christmas at some point during this precious holiday season; it will never be the same. If times feel overwhelming, take a few moments to remember when the simplicity of joy and peace stood out and rest in it for a bit.
It is so easy to be pessimistic about life; it is all around us, but so is optimism. So, give yourself the gift of showing up with the Spirit of Christmas all year round and see how different the World will look, living from your heart where love, kindness, and appreciation are abundant.
I wish you all a New Year filled with adventures, deep belly laughs, good health, and barrels overflowing with Love, Light, and Joy. These traits are our true nature by design and a part of who you are anyway; share it with us so we can celebrate the Spirit with you.💝
Thought to ponder:
Who are the Spirit carriers in your life who, over the years have made these holiday memories cherishable?🌟
