For a listen to a BUNCH of Christmas songs, new and old enjoy this playlist: The Most Wonderful Time of the Year
Just a few things I LOVE about this time of year:
- Family time – gathering to decorate, to celebrate, to love, to just be together
- Traditions
- Twinkling Lights
- Music – I’m a sucker for Christmas music – LOVE it all! Well, most of it. 🙂
- Reflection times – thinking over the year and the many ways God blessed me
- Thoughtful gifts – I love to give and enjoy searching for THE gift that will bring the biggest smiles
- Friend dates – catching up with old friends over coffee
- Silly get-togethers with White Elephant gift exchanges
- Peppermint White Mochas
- Whisky Shrimp
- Stockings hung on the mantel
- God’s grace in sending the perfect gift of Jesus
- PJs the one Christmas eve present we’re allowed to open
- Watching my husband squirm when I mention wanting to decorate a little more 🙂
- Mistletoe – kissing my favorite husband!
- Making snowflakes out of paper
- Worship times
- Christmas cookies and other fun baking
- Sappy Hallmark Christmas Movies
- Snow – but not the bitter cold that we’re currently experiencing
- Candlelight Christmas Eve Service
- Sipping hot coffee, reading and staring at the Christmas trees all aglow in the evenings
- Reminiscing – as family is gathered at various times it’s fun to think back to the many happenings from years gone by. Lots of laughter!
- Making once a year cinnamon rolls
- Playing guitars and singing with my brothers – happens rarely now, but great memories of this from Christmases and Thanksgivings gone by
- Homemade ornaments that have weathered decades now
- Hot Chocolate with marshmallows – just tastes best this time of year
- And newly added to this list….grandchildren experiencing the magic of Christmas!
The years go by and some traditions need to be tweaked to keep them alive, but I still look for ways to keep them. They are important to me. I am thankful. I look forward to this time of year all year long. A time of coming together. I am thankful.
This is our tree topper – the snoopy angel, a little Kleenex, pipe cleaner, Styrofoam ball and marker features. Unusual to most, but precious to us. Elise made it in Sunday School when she was about 2. It is proudly displayed each Christmas and is the last thing put on the tree each year in great ceremony. It gets hermetically sealed with special care by Rob each year. 🙂
Enjoying the journey! 
I love sappy Hallmark Christmas movies too!