How Christmas Was

Christmas was great.

I'll backtrack and say that Advent was great too. I've always got this voice in the back of my Episcopalian mind (nagging) that we aren't supposed to celebrate Christmas when it is really Advent. Advent is the time to wait for the Christ Child and prepare. This year, I came to the full realization that every mom I know celebrates Advent correctly. We are all preparing and waiting.... right up until the last moments of the night on Christmas Eve. That preparing and waiting turns into quiet celebration for me at church. When we sing songs about a young mother blessing God with a kiss, and we all sing a lullaby to a baby.

I also had a sublime Advent moment in my car, in the parking lot of Randall's listening to Prairie Home Companion. After a lot of searching afterwards, I found the song online that had captivated me. It was called "A Child is Born in Bethlehem. Since we are now truly celebrating Christmas, you should take an hour and listen to GK tell his stories and end the first segment of the show with this wonderful song.




Then, of course, there was Christmas morning. We try not to instill materialistic urges in the kids, but this was the year we made dreams come true. Lots of video games, players, etc. Robes, toys, bow and arrow that shoots marshmallows, gift cards, ugly dolls and so forth. I felt content to make the kids happy this year. I felt a sense that we were very fortunate to be able to have such a wonderful holiday. David and I are home from work. We lounge as a family in our PJs many days, we have friends come over, we read Christmas cards, what a holiday!

Hope you all had a great holiday as well-- whatever you celebrate, and if it's Christmas, I hope it was a spiritual success as well. Here's to a wonderful 2008!