Christmas Revisited

As we rush headlong into another Christmas, I need to remind myself of what I want to get out of the season.  Per usual, I tend to think most about what I'm going to GET. Its the world's shortest 4 letter word, especially this time of year.

What am I going to GET? What should I GET (someone else)? What if I GET something that isn't what I really wanted? How much will I GET? What if my kids aren't happy with what they GET? Did we GET them enough?

Do you see where I'm going with this? Every year I say it should be so much more than the GET or even the GIVE. As low key as my Wisconsin family tries to keep it, it always seems to come down to spending too much and we end up not looking any different than the rest of the world.

At the same time, I've found I can enjoy the moments despite the craziness of shopping, lights and decorating. The day we were decorating the tree, I was watching the Packer game with the sound turned down and Nat King Cole playing on the surround sound. Sarah and Ben picked and chose which ornaments to put and where, and I thought to myself, how many more years will we have this? Two, maybe three or four. So I was just sucking it all up like a sponge.

The next day Sarah, of her own accord, turned on Nat King Cole and just lay in the the living room listening. She too, was sucking it up like a sponge, probably trying to figure out what "getting in the spirit" meant.

I can appreciate every glass of egg nog. (Though my holiday gut does not.) Egg nog takes me back to 1973 in the blink of an eye. Taste transcendence.

I can appreciate the idyllic miniature Christmas Village, where the snow is always bright white, and everyone is smiling (when they're not tipped over), and there's never any traffic, crowds or bad weather.

I can appreciate being in a warm house, with those I love, and spending time with good friends.

So as the rest of the season marches on, I intend to try and focus more on these last things, and less on the GETTING and GIVING.

Are you with me?

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