Sunday, December 4, 2011

Finding the spirt of CHRISTmas.

For years I dreaded the Christmas season it always drove me nuts at how everyone was caught up in the commercial side of Christmas.
I felt the magic of Christmas was gone somehow.
I remember feeling sad Christmas season of 2003 my grandmother was dying and I just did not like how everyone was rushing around buying gifts hearing ho ho ho and seeing all the gilts of commercialized Christmas I just felt bugged.
a week before Christmas a girlfriend of mine asked if she could come over so I could show here how to make doll clothes for her daughters twin dolls I said sure.
After an hours lesson I realized that she  would never get them done in time for Christmas for her daughter so I offered to make doll clothes.
I felt a glimmer of the Christmas spirt as I finished the doll clothes Christmas eve morning.
In January 2004 I made a goal that I will find the magic of Christmas again.
I prayed and asked Heavenly Father to please help me.
In February I found out I was 2 months pregnant with Ben Shocked but Happy I thought boy Christmas will be exciting this year with a new baby.
I went thought the year had a sweet little baby boy Dale was promoted at work and life was grand.
As Fall approached I thought about how I was going to bring back the magic of Christmas in my life . I new service would be a big part of it.
For years we had picked a boy and a girl name of the angel tree and let the kids buy gifts for them. So we stuck with that tradion and added a whole family.
I also got some names of family's on the base that there husband or wife was deployed and planned special treats for them.
I was a little sad when I found out Dale would be gone from October until the first week 2 weeks of December.
I new I would have to do all that I planed on my own with my 7 little ones.
I was still excited and new this would be fun!
My in laws came out for thanksgiving that year and we decided to do all the black Friday sales together.
I will never forget this day as long as I live.
It was 4:30 Am I was the 96th person in line to get into the BX on Travis AFB.
Ben was sleeping away safe in his car seat and I was standing there with my in laws when I heard.
I hate Christmas time.
My heart sunk and I leterly felt tears spring into my eyes.
Inside I was screaming No! This is not the way I wanted to start the Christmas season. I soon began to hear a ton of people expressing what they hated about the Christmas season.
I new I had to put a stop to this I went into the middle of the crowed and a shouted at The top of my lungs I LOVE CHRISTMAS.
I love the smells of Christmas I love the feeling I get when my kids start making there Christmas list.
I love seeing all of Santa's helpers ring the bells.
I love the twinkling of Christmas lights.
I love how kind everyone is to each other.
I love knowing that we celebrating our saviors birth .
I love knowing that our solders still sever on Christmas day fighting foe our religious freedom to celebrate Christmas.
I love Christmas.
I finally stopped my shouting and realized the crowed was quit.
Then I heard clapping and cheering.
I walked back to my place in line a little shocked at what I had just done but felt the magic of Christmas.
My Father in law was wiping the tears from his eyes and said that was some speach.
I then heard I love Christmas Over and over and over the next half hour we stood in line.
I felt so happy People in line kept bringing me orange juice and Coffee (witch I don't drink) But was touched by there kindness.
I new they were caught up in the Spiert of CHRISTmas too.
Through out the morning all over town I kept having people tell me why they loved Christmas at first I did not understand why but then realized they had heard my speech.
I tell that year was one of the best Christmases I had ever had.
Dale came home from his TDY and we went to the childrens party at his work.
There was no one to play Santa so Dale did I loved that he did this and loved sitting on his lap telling his my Christmas wishes;)

The Christmas season kept getting better and better and I soon realized it was through service and my attitude that this was what CHRISTmas was about.
When January came along I thought again how can I keep the spirt of CHRISTmas going this year.
Four months later my answer was given a Christmas baby was in store for our family.
I always wanted a Christmas day baby and was thrilled that Christmas day was my due date.

I will tell you tomorrow My Christmas baby story.

Please feel free to tell me how you Keep The CHRISTmas spirt in your family.







2 comments:

CB said...

Great post Jen. I agree it is all in attitude and service and if I can add, love of family that keeps the Christmas spirit alive for me!
I love the speech you gave - Awesome!!

Shaina said...

I love that story. We love the Christmas season too, and every year we encourage the kids to not play into the commercialized hype, but to remember the true meaning of Christmas is about Jesus Christ.