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Christmas is a time when I feel like I am walking on a cloud filled with holiday snow. I love everything about it (well, okay, I could do without the holiday shopping crowds) - the carols, the snow, the treats. Most of all, I revel in the anticipation of spending time with family. Not just a quick weekend visit, but heavy-duty holiday bonding time. Since we don't live in the same state (or country, for that matter) as our families, these extended visits are our opportunity to make up for lost time, to soak in the laughter and find peace in being in each other's company.
When I was a kid, part of the excitement of Christmas lay in the anticipation of the "big day". Each year, my mum bought me an advent calendar and the first thing I would do every morning, from December first through Christmas Eve, was to open the little numbered cardboard door hidden amongst the glitter-filled Christmas scene. Behind that door lay a picture, usually an old-fashioned drawing of a Christmas trinket or activity. Toy soldiers, snowmen, white bunnies, carolers, ice-skaters...each was enchanting in its own way.
To this day, even with my fortieth birthday right around the corner, my mum still sends me an advent calendar each year, along with calendars for my husband and two boys. Each morning, we crowd around our calendars and take turns opening those little doors and exclaiming over the treasure underneath. It is a touchstone moment, one in which we can rejoice in the excitement of the season and, most of all, the promise of spending time with loved ones.
Holidays and traditions mean different things to different people. Please leave a comment and tell me what your favorite holiday traditions is.
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