The Most Hopeful Day of the Year

Christmas Eve has always been my favorite day of the year.  I don’t want it to end.  On this day, all things seem possible.  Our hearts are light and our heads are filled with our sweetest wishes and dreams.

Most of us at sometime in our lives, believed in the magical.  It is the magical that gives us great hope.  We believe that life will be better and miraculous changes will occur as they did in “A Christmas Carole.”  It is a glorious feeling, which I never want to end.

Isn’t it more fun to look at the presents under the Christmas tree and imagine what they hold than to open them?  Unopened, they represent everything we desire.  For some, opened presents never live up to the dreams.  This is not to say that we are ungrateful or unappreciative.  Just that our imagination exceeds reality.

Christmas Eve seems to go way too fast for me.  I have so much I do on that day and before I know it, the day is gone.  I always miss that midnight moment when the animals talk. I want to hear what my dogs and cats are saying.  Does Magnum talk about tracking and agility?  And Shadow, what does she say about being blind?  I am sure next year I will be present at that moment and hope you will be too.  Here’s wishing you everything you dream!

The Holidays

So much is written about the holiday spirit – lack of it, getting it, transformation, and having it.  Probably it all has some truth in it.  Along with many, I am concerned about the over commercialization of Christmas.  I am not a religious person, but I love the values exemplified in the Christmas story.

I have never had a lack of Christmas spirit, but I too have to watch my spending.  I tend to use Christmas as a time to help my son’s family financially.  I think that is okay.  I am also generous to non-profits during this season.  I took a child’s request off the tree in the library to purchase a gift for them. 

I end up giving money to some non-profits I decided not to fund.  These are mainly national organizations.  I try to give locally because the impact is greater and there is less spent on fund raising.  One of the organizations I wasn’t going to fund was the U. S. Humane Society.  I heard a piece on NPR recently that many movies that state there were no animals injured in the making of the movie were out right lying.  And, the Humane Society was a part of this.  But, I decided they also do a lot of good and my heart is with animals.

I love to watch and read Christmas stories.  I have watched almost all the Christmas stories and find something to like in all of them.  No matter how unlikely the story, there is always a transformation in the last 20 minutes.  Some of the stories are just plain silly, but I still enjoy watching them.

A part of the holiday spirit for me is knitting something while I watch the holiday show.  This year I am knitting a sweater for my grandson.  I think I will try to do it every year even though I may eventually get the title the “Sweater Grandmother”.

Then there is the baking.  Since I am trying to watch my weight, I make a lot of dog biscuits.  They are great gifts for friends with dogs.  And, most of my friends have dogs.

I will end with saying “May the spirit be with you!”