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Friday, September 25, 2015

The 2015 Christmas Season Starts Now!

Christmas is a very special time for me.  I know many of you love Christmas, too.  As I grow older, I am learning that sometimes something is actually made more special by savoring it and enjoying it because of its scarcity.  To have too much of something might make it not special anymore.

That's why, this year, I am limiting this blog to September, October, November and December.  My way of savoring this special time of the year.  This doesn't mean I love it less.  In some ways, it means I love it even more.

I just finished reading a short story by Shauna Niequist.  It is a personal memoir of Christmas.  You can find it in the book called Bittersweet: Thoughts on Change, Grace, and Learning the Hard Way.  I totally adore this book!  In fact, I am giving away two copies of this book on Amazon and you can find the way to enter here!  Amazon Giveaway

From the story, I started looking at Christmas a little bit differently.  Maybe it was my book club's discussion, or maybe it was the story itself, but I started to realize that the traditions my husband and I set up for our family was just that: for our family of three.  When our daughter got married, that marked a change was brewing, one that I didn't want to acknowledge.  Reading this story helped me realize that I need to be letting go of those traditions, and letting this transition time happen gracefully.  When my daughter has her family, it will be her turn to decide what traditions she wants to have in her family.  I must be ready to accept whatever those are.

It doesn't mean I can't have traditions for my husband and me.  We can carry on whatever traditions we want, and start news ones if we want!  I am eager to have this discussion with him and to see what road we decide to take, whatever it is, doing it together will make it all the more fun.

Recently I had the fun opportunity to be in Cracker Barrel and saw that they had some of their Christmas displays up.  Here a few snapshots from my Cracker Barrel.  I hope you see something that you like!


I'm in love with the Cardinal ribbon!

This is too cute.




 I hope you can think about the traditions in your family.  If you are experiencing some stress over the holidays because you can't keep your traditions, maybe, like me, it is time for you to revisit your idea of traditions.  I'm not doing this because I want to necessarily, but because it is the right thing to do.  For my daughter who has her own family, and for me, to learn to let go a little.

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