Tis the season to be jolly....

It used to be the anticipation of gift giving and receiving presents and the decorations that put me in the holiday spirit.  This year, it's Hannah being paranoid about being on the "naughty list" and Peppermint Mocha & Creme Brulee at Starbucks!!  Hannah trying to be extra good is just a perk, but really, everything gets me in the spirit- it's my favorite holiday.  I love all the cheesy and old Christmas songs played on the radio non-stop- it totally brightens my day.  I also love visiting every park that is decked out with lights and driving around neighborhoods to check out the houses.  Even though the malls are a mad house during December, I like going in and seeing how the stores and the mall itself decorated for this season. 

Christmas is a fun holiday for sure, but it can be tricky to stay focused on the real meaning of CHRISTmas.  When I was little my parents had presents from Santa and would threaten me too about no presents if I'm bad, but my mom always said- Jesus is the reason for this Season.  The manger under our Christmas tree was big and beautiful, definitely the focal point of our tree.  On Christmas Eve, our family would sit around the tree and my sister would read out of Luke 2:8- Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.  Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.  This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.  While she was reading that verse, I would walk in with baby Jesus wrapped in cloths and I laid him in his manger.  Michelle continued to read from Luke 2 and we would all pray and give thanks to our Lord. 

We followed that tradition until I got married and moved to Texas.  It has been almost 9 years since I've seen that manger- over those 9 years we have spend Christmas in different places and I have missed reading that passage and bringing out baby Jesus on Christmas Eve.  This year, I can't wait to do that all over again and the best part is that Hannah is learning from school that Christmas is about Jesus- celebrating his birth.