It's Christmas!!!

Well, Christmas Eve anyway, I'm home by myself, I have to finish a blanket and straighten up while my darling husband has my son at work with him. They will be home around 1, the office closes at noon, then 1/2 hour train ride and 1/2 hour from the station, keep in mind it would only take him 1/2 hour to drive to work, but parking costs in Center City Philadelphia are exorbitant.

Anyway, Christmas is my favorite holiday, not for the gift giving, though the look on my son's face when he sees the presents under the tree makes my heart swell. I love Christmas because it signifies the birth of Jesus, the most amazing gift any child of God could be given and because it's about family. This year we will be dining at my sister's new place in Ocean City, NJ. It's a little small and we won't all be able to sit at the dining room table together, but that doesn't matter, we will all be there, all 10 of us.

When we were younger, we alternated Christmas dinners, we would host one year and my Mom's brother and his family would host the next. Christmas in my family has always been about family, we would get together, the kids would show each other their gifts and we'd play, we'd eat and then sit around and talk (when we were younger, we'd run off and play).

I think that lately we've gotten away from the holidays being about family and it's become more about the gifts, my older sister (I'm the middle of 3 girls) suggested that we stop giving gifts to each other for everything and just get together instead. We're going to discuss that tomorrow and see where it takes us.

I think we should all stop this holiday season and remember what it is we are celebrating, the birth of the Christ child. And to enjoy the blessing of our families whether they be small or large, related by blood or choice, your family is something that can't be replaced. Enjoy the time.

OK, so this started out as just a note about it becoming Christmas, but since I've had an emotional couple of years losing people in my family to old age and cancer, I've become a little more focused on the importance of family. So sorry for the tangent but these are my stream of conscious thoughts.

Have a very Merry Christmas!!!