It’s hard to believe that Christmas is just around the corner … next week to be exact!Each year, as soon as I hear the infamous Christmas carol “I’ll Be Home For Christmas” my Christmas season gets underway. And amidst the season’s festivities, it never fails, memories from Christmas past come to visit. This year is no different.
As a child, Christmas always mesmerized me. The tall fresh Evergreen tree. The big hot colored lights. The ornaments. Silver tinsel hanging from the tips of each branch. Mom’s cooking. Early to bed Christmas Eve cause Santa was coming to town. All this and more, Christmas was truly all about magic.
As a teenager and away at boarding school, the journey home for Christmas break began my holiday season. When finally home and standing at the front door the aroma of Mom’s cooking would be the first to greet me … Mom was the world’s best cook! And once inside, the usual Christmas trimmings were already in place. Yup, I was home for Christmas!
My early adult years, heading home for Christmas became far and few between. I lived in Michigan attending Michigan State University. I also had a partner … my first love. Christmas at our home was filled with all the usual trimmings, parties, and gift exchanging. Though I wasn’t able to go home to the folks, each Christmas Eve I'd make sure that I would call to wish them a Merry Christmas. Unfortunately, my first love and I broke up after which I moved to Southern California.
My adult years Christmas was just another day. However, this changed when I meet and fell in love with my second partner to whom Christmas was the event of the year, specially Christmas Eve. We’d begin the evening by exchanging one special gift. Each Christmas I'd always have a paper ornament for him, he would have a glass humming bird for me. Then we’d be off to visit friends after which we would all attend midnight mass. The following morning I'd rise early and cook breakfast so when he woke he could have breakfast in bed, exchange cards, and end the morning by opening gifts. It never failed, each Christmas morning he would totally surprise me with that one perfect gift. Unfortunately, after 27 Christmases, due to his passing, Christmas 2004 was our last.
Christmas has certainly changed with time. When a child it was all magical and Santa Claus. As a teen it was about being home. As a young adult it was about parties and gifts. But when I grew up and found my life long partner, once again Christmas became magical with the tall fresh Evergreen tree. White miniature lights. The ornaments. And crystal like icicles hanging from the tips of each branch. Yup, once again for the next 27 years, I was home for Christmas.
For me, Christmas is about celebrating life. It’s about loving someone special. About remembering those we loved. About friends. About making it through another year. About hope. This year, though life is a bit rough around the edges, Christmas is still magical and the memories of Christmas past warm and comforting. And though this time around my celebration may be subdued, it’s still about hope for a better tomorrow and a better new year. Yet, above all, it’s still about the most important gift of all, the birth of our Savior. After all, this is really what it's all about!
As we enter into this holy day let us unite in celebration to God and give thanks to Him for giving us this season to celebrate, as well as a time to focus on our eternal gift as we sit around the tree and receive the gift of friendship and love from one another, for truly, we all will be home for Christmas, if only in your dreams.
Merry Christmas and peace to each and every one of you and yours.
:Pj
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