‘Tis the season of mistletoe, holly, hot chocolate, shopping, shopping and more shopping as we scurry from one holiday event to another. It seems we never get everything done on time. Wrapping the gifts, mailing the cards, baking the cookies. Yup it's the season of craziness that tries women's souls. And yet it's the most wonderful time of the year.
Merry and Bright
What makes this season so special is how these imperfect moments come together to make memories we will cherish for years to come. Because above all, this holiday is about love. It’s about time spent with my family, gathering together and connecting with one another over good food, good conversation and good laughs.
I have so many favorite traditions throughout the holidays but I want to share with you how we celebrate; and it starts the week before Christmas with a progressive dinner! Each course is served at the house of one of my children. This gives everyone the opportunity to be the host, to open their home to the whole family, share a treat or two and let the cousins exchange their gifts in a more personal and fun way. I love traveling to each family, seeing their special decorations and watching the joy fill each house. The last stop of this event is my house, where we all settle in for a big dinner and delicious desserts.
On Christmas Eve, we attend services and all of my children and grandchildren come over to play BINGO! With the family nestled in their favorite spots, my husband plays the role of the “caller,” hand-cranking the wheel and calling out each number from the basket as we all scan our classic cards hoping to be the first to call out BINGO. It might sound silly, but that’s because it’s supposed to be! It is an evening filled with laughter and fun and memories that mean everything to me.
Christmas Day dawns with some quiet time reserved for reflection, then my husband and I host each one of my children and their families individually. I put out a buffet so all of our visitors can stop to sample their holiday favorites. It gives a pause to the excitement of the day, and the chance to create meaningful, private moments during a bigger celebration.
And while my grandchildren will always find wrapped gifts under the tree, the present that means the most is the one they give to another in need. Each year they sort through the World Vision catalogue, choosing items that will change the lives of the recipient, like a goat for a village, educating a child for a year or even a sewing machine for a budding entrepreneur in a developing country. This has become one of our most treasured family traditions.
But the absolute best part of our celebration each year is being surrounded by those we love dearly. And this is my Christmas wish for all of you—that you will love and feel loved as we gather around the manger and give thanks that He was born.
Merry and Bright by Debbie Macomber is published by Arrow, priced £6.99.
Tagged in Christmas