The Holidays

I can hear the music now "Its the most wonderful time of the year"..... Every year when the holidays roll around I tend to crawl into a hole and don't want to come out. When I was a kid, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years were all holidays always surrounded with family and friends. My mom always decorated the inside of the house so beautifully with garland, lights and bows and a huge Christmas tree. Of course there were a couple Christmas' that weren't so great but every Christmas eve my sister and I would crawl into bed together and try to fall asleep so that Santa could come. We would wake up really early in the morning just to peek to see what Santa had left. Usually at 6am, my sister and I were downstairs checking out our presents and dragging our very exhausted parents out of bed long enough to open all our gifts under the tree. We would stack the presents in piles, one for mom, one for dad and one for each of us. Once we began unwrapping it was a frenzy! We always had tons of gifts, probably more then what we should have gotten.

As I got older, the magic of Christmas seemed to slip through my fingers and it was something I couldn't get back. As much as I tried to cling to the innocence of my childhood and the traditions with my family in the past, I could never seem to find it. Christmas hasn't felt the same in a long time. I think the tide really changed with my parents moved away from my hometown two hours north to Myrtle beach. Since then Christmas has become a holiday, along with the others, being pulled in 10 different direction. Trying to please everyone by running around from Myrtle Beach to Charleston and back within a 24 hour period. You have to pack in genuine family time into a short and brief visit. Making sure you hit everyones house cause if you didn't you would hear about it the next day. When my parents finally divorced it got worse. We try to divide the time we do have between the two families but someone always ends up hurt. We do Christmas eve in Charleston with my Dad and Christmas day with my mom. My sister and I feel terrible when we see our mom alone on Christmas eve and then tears always fall when we have to leave our Dad in Charleston Christmas eve to drive to Myrtle to be with my mom Christmas day, therefore our dad is alone Christmas day. It hurts my heart to see them so sad and sad for us not being able to share the time with both of them together. Not only can we not make either of them happy, we cant make ourselves happy. In all the back and forth we have lost what is truly important in life and Christmas. 

Christmas has many different meanings to everyone out there. I believe its a time to celebrate the most precious gift God could have given us, the birth of his Son. When we come together to spend time with our most cherished loved ones, showing them the love we have for them and showing everyone in this world happiness and love, honors God and celebrates the birth of our Lord. The gifts are nice but the fulfillment of those gifts only last a while, but the memories you make with your family are the gifts that last a lifetime. When I look back at christmas' past, I don't remember the presents that I was given, what I do remember is the time I spent with my family. 

The world as we know it today has become heartless and the people in it have become jaded and just plain rude. Respect for others and giving to the less fortunate have all but disappeared. We judge one another on what kind of car we drive, the house we live in, and the money we have in the bank. When you strip everyone of those worldly possessions, what is left but the person you are on the inside, and when we are gone that is what people will remember. They wont remember what you had, that all fades away. They will always remember your character, your love for people around you, your kindness and the honor and dignity you led your life with. So, just remember this year when your unwrapping all your presents, that Christmas isn't about how many presents you received but more about honoring God by showing and sharing love to one another. Remember the innocent baby boy that came into this world as a gift from God to show us the love He has for us. 

If you can capture the true meaning of Christmas you will never be disappointed and you will once again  discover the magic of Christmas. Amongst the hustle and bustle of shopping and getting to everyones house you have to visit, take a moment and remember what Christmas really is and why we celebrate it.

To all out there, Have a Merry and joyous Christmas!

Luke 2:8-14

 ⁸And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
 ⁹And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
 ¹⁰And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
 ¹¹For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
 ¹²And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
 ¹³And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
 ¹⁴Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.