I Wish You A Merry Christmas

Christmas is my favorite time of year. Its a time for family and friends to get together. It is a time where you can see the twinkle of anticipation in a child's eyes for Christmas morning to FINALLY arrive. Above all, it is also a time of celebration in the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. Everything about this time of the year is magical. You hear people say that it is magical, but why? Why are we more charitable, more forgiving and kinder to our fellow person? I have no concrete answer to give you, but that is magic in itself isn't it?

Every Christmas season I look forward to getting together with friends and family members. I love attending Christmas parties just for the sake that it is Christmas. It brings people together. It makes us all talk and spread good holiday cheer. It is a time where you can give a present to a family member or friend that says "thank you and I appreciate you." Sure not all gifts are always in appreciation or honoring that someone. We usually do have someone on our list that if we were Santa Claus himself, that person would be on the naughty list and getting coal. However, when you do receive a gift or an invitation to a party, someone took the time in thinking about you. How special is that?

As a parent to a toddler, Christmas is becoming more and more exciting and another learning lesson (as age appropriate as I can make it). Yes Santa is coming in the wee hours of Christmas morning to give presents since he was a good little boy this year. My son loves the fact we have a lit Christmas tree in our house, but would never understand the significance of why we are carrying out a 16th century old German tradition. I have to balance that and also teach him that this day also marks the birth of Jesus Christ. How do I do it? I keep it simple. My son will often point to his cross in his room. I often think if I should pray or not when he does this. Its pretty high up and not flashy, so I am not sure why he keeps noticing it. I am glad he does though. For me it helps bring up conversation. I tell him that he is Jesus and we are going to celebrate his birthday in a few days. Usually I will sing a song along with whatever we are playing like "Oh Come Oh Come Emmanuel" or "Silent Night". At this age repetition is everything and one day I will rejoice when he is able to say it back to me.

How do you celebrate the Christmas season? How do you teach your children the true meaning of Christmas?

God bless you all and have a Merry Christmas!

S'nami Boh!