Snowed In

Now it feels like Christmas. It hadn't before. We were snowed in today and my family spent time together baking and shoveling and watching movies and shoveling and playing games together and shoveling and just relaxing. It is a rare thing for all of us to be home all at the same time. Maybe that's why it hasn't felt like Christmas.

This has been the first Christmas that I have worked every day of the week. Ordinary, everyday things like work can suck the feeling of Christmas right out of the air. This month I couldn't help but thinking that this is how Christmas will be like for the rest of my life. Christmas is becoming stress.

My mom did an excellent job of making Christmas so much fun. Everything was a big deal. Baking. Shopping. Church events. Advent. Gingerbread houses. Every part of Christmas was something to get excited about. I miss being 8 and inviting friends over to make gingerbread houses. I miss singing in Christmas choirs at church. I miss finding so much joy in Christmas lights. I miss being little and not being able to sleep Christmas eve. I miss struggling over reciting Luke 2. I am so glad that my parents created such wonderful Christmas traditions and memories for all of us. Most of those traditions are still here, they've just changed a little.

What is your favorite Christmas tradition?