Snippets of Holiday Magic - December 4

Fonzy strung up the lights outside, and I finished the decorating inside. Little touches of Christmas all throughout the house.

Right now, it's raining out, the lights are all aglow, chicken noodle casserole in the oven and Santa Clause is Coming to Town on. I love all the holiday specials from childhood. Grinch, Charlie Brown, Rudolph, Frosty, a Christmas Story. The holiday wouldn't be complete without them.

Snippets of Holiday Magic - December 3

I was up today at 5:00am to drop Ezekiel off at the train station to visit his girlfriend at college. Fonzy had to take Elijah to basketball practice, so that left me alone to decorate the tree. With a fresh cup of hot coffee, and Christmas music playing in the background, I pulled out the ornaments. A sleigh made from Popsicle sticks, clothespin reindeer, Rudolph with crooked antlers, snowman with a green hat unraveling. So many ornaments made with little hands of Christmas's past. I got a little teary eyed as I pulled out ornaments and frames with pictures of the boys. Little smiling, excited boys. Childhood is so fleeting. When you are in the thick of it, you don't realize how fast its's going.

Oh those memories of Christmas past, how sweet they are.

Daily December - Longing

Longing for everyone to be home with him. He's ready for Christmas break too!

Daily December - Good for the Soul

Knitting and hot chocolate are good for the soul.

Daily December - Let it Snow

Let is snow!

During this time of year, I long for snow. Like really LONG for snow. Growing up in Dunkirk, NY right on Lake Erie, we always had a white Christmas. I can't recall one year we didn't have one. When I left home, I was so glad to be done with snow. I never thought I would miss it, but every year during the holidays nostalgia hits, and it hits hard! And I want snow!

I think we all long for the Christmas magic of our childhoods. I remember Christmas Eve laying awake in my bed, watching the snow fall, listening for the pitter-patter of reindeer on the roof. I swear I heard them once. And Christmas morning! As a kid there was nothing on earth better than Christmas morning! NOTHING!

Every year I go back to my childhood home for Christmas. My mind takes me there. And for just a few moments the magic is back.

And I have my white Christmas.

Daily December - The Tree Decorating That Wasn't

You know how you have grand ideas in your head - of a magical time of getting the Christmas tree, and decorating with the family. And oh how fun it will be. And all the pictures and great memories you will capture. And how PERFECT it will be. Then life happens, and the picture perfect event in your head doesn't quite happen.

Instead of decorating our tree, I got a trip down memory lane. Into an box that use to be a toy box for 2 little boys. One no longer here, and the other a Dad himself. A box that holds drawings, homemade cards, and cherished memories of days long past. Smiling at pictures drawn of me. Tracing words that little hands wrote, hands no longer here. Remembering Christmas's past, another lifetime ago...

 Thinking of the here and now and 2 more boys I get to celebrate this Christmas with. And hoping I can make it magical for them.