What does December mean to you? For me, the month inspires a flurry of activity. December is the start of the Christmas season as well as the winter solstice. In northern states, it’s a time for outdoor snowy sports like skiing, sledding, ice skating, snowmobiling, and snowman building.
Inside, the wonderful smells of hearty meals cooking on the stove top or in the oven permeate the air. Recipes for cookies and wonderful holiday desserts emerge from hiding, whether in a cookbook or scrap of paper stuffed in a drawer or cupboard. What about fruitcake? Ho, ho, ho. Bake it with a lot of nuts and soak it in rum, and I’m a fan.
One of my favorite things about Christmas is receiving Christmas cards, now a dying practice. My husband and I send out about sixty cards each year. We enjoying hearing from friends and family and learning about their various activities throughout the year. What do I like the least about the holiday? Luckily I can easily dispense with Elf on the Shelf and all the Ugly Sweater parties.
Despite the hustle and bustle of December, we all need to remember the true meaning of Christmas. For Christians, it’s the joyous celebration of the birth of the Christ child. Also, it’s all about what you give and not what you get. It’s the season of peace, hope, love…and magic.
FOR A HEARWARMING HOLIDAY READ
THE MUSICAL CHRISTMAS SERIES
