The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Did everyone have a good Christmas? I know I did! I realize it sounds corny, but Christmas really is my favorite time of year. I love the Christmas music, the lights on the houses, buying and wrapping presents (and opening them!), and going to church services.

My favorite service, hands down, is Christmas Eve. As we go in, everyone gets a small white candle. After a while the lights are turned way down and ushers go up and down the aisles with candle lighters. They light the candles of people on the ends of the rows and they, in turn, literally start sharing their light with others.

I sing in the choir so I have a great view of light slowly spreading throughout the sanctuary. When the pastor directs us, we all lift our candles high and the sanctuary is filled with light and warmth. I love it!

I also enjoy the opportunity to tell others how much I appreciate them. I realize we often don’t do this enough and I try to take advantage of the opportunity – Carpe Diem! This can be done in writing (Christmas cards, tags on presents, texts or emails), or verbally. I try to be specific when I tell others what they’ve meant to me. “I appreciate your generous spirit”, or, “I enjoy your sense of humor and your great laugh!”, or even, “I always have so much fun with you”.

I also make it a point to express gratitude to God for all his blessings – my health, family, education, where I live, my friends, my work, and on and on. I truly try to cultivate an, “attitude of gratitude”.

I hope this holiday season was a good one for you. May you take the Christmas spirit throughout the end of this year and on to the next!