I hope everyone had an awesome Christmas! I can honestly say that this has been the best of my life. You hear from a young age how Christmas is not about the presents. Whether you are religious or not, Christmas is about family, love, and joy. And if you are Christian then Christmas is also a day to celebrate the glorious birth of Christ.
I have always known Christmas was more than the presents, but that never stopped me from focusing all too much on them. Always disappointed as the last one was ripped open, and never grateful enough for all I received. Christmas was about the presents no matter how much I tried to deny it. And then Christmas and all holidays became about food. All of my focus was devoted to how and what my family would eat on the holiday. OK great that I stopped caring so much about the presents, but replacing it with food was no better.
My dog Mr. George ready for his bone; Me with my new coffee maker and Archer Farm’s Gingerbread Toffee; My kitty Cody ready for his new water fountain
But since entering college, Christmas has become special. Not for the presents or the food. I honestly don’t focus on those parts of the day unless it is time to open gifts or it is time to sit down as a family and share a meal together. But otherwise, Christmas for me is about the day I get with both of my parents. Sharing jokes and jabs at each other, laughing, a lack of mother daughter fighting (yeah we used to fight every holiday… Sorry mom I was a brat), and a nice, pressure free day.
For the first time in all of my Christmases I saw this holiday for everything it is supposed to be. I am so grateful for the holiday I was able to spend with my mom and dad, enjoying a small family Christmas that I have come to love so much.
Dad had the idea of going on a little jog after opening presents. Awesome idea! I loved every minute of it
Plateit & Climb 
Snowball Camp? That. Is. So. Cool! I’m really glad you were able to enjoy the holidays this year- that’s what they’re meant for! It’s nice growing up sometimes… you get to really see what things are about. Family, of course, is the most important part, not the food or the presents (although both play a pretty big role… 😉 )
Snowball camp was such a blast! technology free, God, friends, and fun! It is super nice to be back now though!
This is beautiful, love 🙂 I’m so glad that you truly enjoyed your holiday so much…that picture of you and your dad is priceless! Enjoy Snowball Camp ❤
the run with my daddy made my day to be honest! Snowball camp was a blast but boy am I happy to be back!
coffee maker, oh what a perfect gift for you. haha. I love this message, every word you said is something I totally thought about this year.
Thanks girl! (I am always saying thanks!) I love the coffee maker I need it next semester!
This is awesome! I completely relate, and I went through the same focus on presents and then on the food. It resulted in feeling sad and let-down at the end of the day. But now that I live so far from home, the best gift was just being here – I didn’t talk about it much but I had to fight my boss to get the week off, so I almost didn’t make it! I didn’t get to be home for the Christmas season prep, but I was here for the day, and that in itself was a huge blessing. Presents and food are great and It would be a weird Christmas without them, but they’re SO not the centerpiece. I’m glad this Christmas was a big realization like that for you too! 🙂
I am so glad you fought to get home! You deserve the time with your family and I am glad that you found the true meaning of the holiday. It is hard to find, but when you do it is such an amazing feeling!
I was in college when I came to the same realization as you did about the true meaning of the holidays. I guess being away from loved ones makes you realize that in the end they are the ones who make the holidays as amazing as they are! The meaning of presents changes from ‘oh look what I got!’ to ‘oh I can’t wait to see how ___ reacts when he/she opens my gift!’ and the meaning of food changes from ‘I can’t wait to stuff my face’ to ‘I can’t wait to spend time preparing a lovely meal with my family’. Ahh the joys of growing up 🙂
I could not agree more! I never look forward to growing older until all of these moments come to life and I see how awesome my years’ experience has been and how it has made me into a compassionate person