Here we are, the second day of 12 Blogs of Christmas, and I'm already running waaaaay late. I didn't have a chance to breathe at work today (deadline day for a big direct mail catalog one of my clients will be mailing out in February. Merry Christmas to me. ::sigh:: ), so I didn't get to blog earlier.
Anyway, I spent the evening wrapping gifts while my sister took my nieces out to see Christmas lights. I have to admit, wrapping presents is probably my favorite thing about the lead-up to Christmas. I'm the official family wrapper (although I'm really bad at it), and I do enjoy all the pretty paper and bows. It's been fun over the past few years having children in the house on Christmas morning; I'd forgotten how magical the holiday could be when you're little.
One of my earliest memories is waking one Christmas morning before everyone else was up (including the sun) and being completely unable to go back to sleep. I knew I wasn't supposed to get up unless my parents were up, but patience was never one of my virtues. I crept down the hallway to the living room in the dim pre-dawn light to see what Santa had put under the tree.
I don't really remember what my sister and brother and I got that Christmas, or what caught my eye, but I do remember the sensation of all that new stuff lying scattered about around the tree and thinking, "It's magic!" And it was. It was the magic of people who loved us enough to sacrifice to give us something nice for Christmas. When we were old enough to understand what Christmas was really about, they taught us that the real magic is in giving, not receiving.
As I sit here and look at the table piled high with gifts for my family and friends, that same feeling of magic comes over me. I can't wait to watch my loved ones open their gifts. I hope they love them as much as I enjoyed picking them out.
Maybe that's why wrapping gifts is one of my favorite things about Christmas.
What are some of your favorite things about Christmas?
2 comments:
That's easy, as an adult, its the wonder of christmas in eyes of my 4 year old. He knows the man in the red suit is coming. Yet in church he walks up the the large natvity on the floor and says mama look its baby Jesus, but where's hus cake and presents?
I'm the wrapper in my family too. I am a firm believer in the idea that a beautiful package can make up for a crappy gift any day.
That said, I do love shopping for gifts...I love finding the perfect gift for someone. Not something they asked for or requested, but something I find or make that is perfectly suited for them.
Beyond that, I love the idea of cold, snowy days, sitting by the fireplace sipping hot chocolate. Unfortunately, being from S.C., I've never really experienced any of that.
Merry Christmas, Paula! Now that I've found this little 12 days o' blogging, I can't wait to read more.
mandy
Post a Comment