Christmas

What other day is so spectacular that an entire month is dedicated to it? That people prepare for it, plan for it. That thousands of songs are written about it, and the world quite literally lights up for it?

Yeah. New Years is great, and we celebrate it for the night. Independence day is pretty neat, and we light fireworks one night  (most of us, anyways) and have a boss BBQ that day. Halloween is pretty neat, and people dress up for it and kids plan costumes. The air changes. Communities open up their doors individually to give kids candy. And Thanksgiving. Well. Thanksgiving is often over-looked because next month, right behind it, is the shining star (but you know, you can't skip one day of being with your family and eating a huge mean to celebrate all that you have) but Christmas. CHRISTMAS.

Its not just a day on the calendar. Its in the air. Its truly in the heart. It becomes a PART of you. You can feel it. I know you can. Because its not just each of us doing something. Its each of us doing something TOGETHER. Its choirs meeting twice a week for the Christmas program at the churches and schools. Its the lights that the city hangs up, that the pedestrians hang up. Its the quiet fall of the snow, muffling all the noise of yard work and sidewalks, that only months ago could have cooked an egg.  Its the cold shuffling, the frost biting your face. Its looking up at the sky and not being able to hold back a laugh that's been growing inside of you.

Life is like a song, yeah? Its beautiful and dramatic and sometimes its slow and quiet and peaceful, sometimes it makes you cry, or roll down your window and let the wind blow through your hair, singing with your best friend. Christmas is like the swell in the music. When all the love, the joy, the excitement and everything else tossed into this masterpiece comes together in a great, moving bubble. Its not the freedom of summer. Its the hum of something more. Because Christmas is something MORE.

People say its the season of miracles, because beautiful, amazing things happen. A community comes together, in a church, on the streets, in shops and behind the doors of homes. Warm fires are lit, while compassion warms the frosty air. The poor are fed lavish meals, toy boxes are set out so they can have presents, too. Operation Christmas Child, Operation Christmas Angel, Meals on Wheels... its the time of year when people get satisfaction from giving to others. When someone else smiles, at your expense, means more than any gift.

My heart fills with warmth. Christmas to me, is more than trees and lights and songs and the Christmas service at the church. Its time for me to remember to be thankful, to remember how thankful I should be. God sent His child to us. Soft and quiet, He was delivered into the world. The Kind of Kings, the Ancient of Days. He was given to us as the gift of all gifts. Emanuel. God is with us. He gave it all to us. Isn't it wonderful that we get to give back? I mean, I strive live my life, giving it all to God. Every day. But a season. Like, you could have frosting on the cake, ooorrrr you could just eat out of the container. Christmas is kind of like eating out of the container. Its all that wonderfulnes, concentrated into one thing.

OR LIKE, YOU COULD HAVE COOL WHIP ON COCOA, OR YOU COULD JUST GRAB A SPOON AND DIVE IN TO THE COOL WHIP. Hello, I don't know about you, but I'm going for the spoon.

Sorry. I got really excited because I just remembered we have both cocoa, and cool whip.

Anyways. We put a magnifying glass on all that we can do for the world. On all that we can DO for the world! I am so thankful that I have enough to give to others. Each year, my family picks four different charities, and we each get to donate a portion of our Christmas money to them.  My personal favorite is Mercy Ships, because they do sort of what I want to do, except I can't be a doctor (Blood? No thanks). But there are so many out there! I love giving to our local food banks, helping deliver the food and gift boxes. Its so beautiful to give to others. Its beautiful to see how grateful these people are. I have SO MUCH. It really shows me how much I have.

And the family! Ahh. I love it. We are Italian, and there are a few of us. We don't get the opportunity to pack all of us in someones house all that often, but when we do? It's beautiful. I love it. I hang out with my aunts, girl cousins, and mom, while my dad and brother hang out with the dudes of the family. We have wonderful conversations about everything. The past, the present, the future. Sitting around those tables is where a lot of my career options, inspirations, and motivations have come from. Winter is cold, which instantly justifies snuggling with my mom, which I cant do in the summer because its so hot its insane. We also get to drive around and look at lights, packed into our truck, Christmas music playing softly, warm cookies on our laps, driving around. Or cocoa in our hands while we walk around the lights in Lewiston.

Christmas seriously just seems to bring us all closer. I'm not sure I am humanly possible to verbally or physically express what Christmas makes me feel inside. Its magical. A virgin birth. Whats more magical than that?