The Spirit of Christmas Reborn

Absolutely!! Today is the first day that I feel some excitement about this Christmas season. Hallelujah and it feels good!! I have my lovely and very dear friend Betty to thank for this. So...thank you Betty!! For whatever reason, my enthusiasm comes and goes, for whatever reason - or more correctly, for many reasons. But today, I read my friend's most recent post and she talked about how she said good-bye to summer and now embraced fall with the putting to bed of last summer's vegetable garden with leaves. Then she went on to say that she and her dog, Gus went for a little walk in the woods near her home and she gathered greens for her Christmas wreath. She gathered douglas fir, cedar, grand fir boughs and salal. She talked about the wonderful scent they emitted as she cut and arranged and created her wreath. Man oh man, I can just imagine the heavenly scent of those beautiful gifts from the forest! And then, I started to imagine some other familiar Christmas scents - like the burning of cinnamon/spice candles and freshly baked cookies. There is something very nostalgic about smells for me. With just a whiff of a certain scent, I am immediately transposed to a certain moment in time; and with the vividness of my imagination, I am there. I picture the beautiful tree all decorated with brightly colored lights and the angel on top, just so; and she's looking down upon the beautiful collection of treasured ornaments from top to bottom. Each one with a special memory of their own. And the fire in the woodstove giving off not only heat, but that woodsy, smokey smell. Ah, delightful and so cozy and homey.

Oh yes, and the Christmas carols. My most favorite part of the season is the beautiful music and all the old hymns and the 40's classics sung by Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Judy Garland and The Fontaine Sisters to name just a few. I just love it! And, the gathering of friends for baking Christmas goodies. I love it all! Then there's all those Christmas specials and the wonderful old movies that I love. Like...It's A Wonderful Life - truly one of my all-time favorites!! I still can't help but cry like a ninny toward the end where all the friends and family come together and bring all their monies to help George out, and finally, Clarence gets his wings. Oh, a tear-jerker for sure!! But, there's plenty of other classics too, like Miracle on 34th Street and How the Grinch Stole Christmas and Frosty the Snowman and countless others!! Priceless gems one and all. They sure don't make 'em like they used to...

This year, I am going to try and do as little shopping as possible. I will send out my usual store-bought Christmas cards and mail them to friends and family both near and far. But, I want to make most, if not all of the actual gifts. You know, like home preserves, cookies, candies, specialty drinks and such. My hubby is quite handy at creating western-themed works of art out of old horse shoes. They are amazing and everybody just loves them. So, for the first time today the "bug" has finally hit me and I've started working on my very own Santa's List! I'm so excited!! Here I go again...expectations and all.

So, tell me about your Christmas dreams and traditions. What do you like especially? What's your famous - just wouldn't be Christmas without it favorite goodie? Do you open presents Christmas Eve or on Christmas morning? Are you a get it done before Halloween kind of person - or do you live for the thrill of last-minute hustle and bustle of the crowded shopping malls? Do you love to stay at home or do you visit family? Come on, share your dreams, your traditions and your special passions for this wonderful holiday season.

If you could do one special thing that you've never done before for Christmas - what would it be? I've always had two dreams that I've yet to do: 1) to ride in a horse-drawn sleigh, complete with blanket on lap and jingle bells - you know, the works! And, 2) to spend several days with my hubby and a couple of special friends away from it all in a secluded mountain cabin, complete with snow, a blazing fire in the fireplace and go out and chop down the tree on Christmas eve and then spend the evening decorating, visiting and relaxing. Then on Christmas morning, sleep in and enjoy a wonderful home-cooked breakfast and dawdle the entire day away with whatever came to mind. Oh, that sounds just delightful to me!! And...I'm still dreaming that someday they'll both come true.

So, just what do you dream about? What could Santa bring you that would just twinkle your toes and bring a big ole smile to your face? Come on, tell momma all about it. It's okay, you're never too old to dream...