Christmas memories.

The boys are asleep, John is at work and it is quite peaceful right now. I am enjoying just being alone. I have not done this in a long time.. I watched a great christmas movie and just enjoyed my living room decked out in christmas lights.

I love Christmas. It is my favorite holiday. I love decorating my house  I go all out. Not tacky but elegant. I love Creche displays, I have a few I put out on the china hutch and I surf the internet every day to find good deals on a new one each year. I make it a point to attend the Creche exhibit at church every year. I love it that it falls on my birthday weekend every year. It just is a nice way to bring in the Christmas season. I love the spirit of Christmas. I am grateful for the Savior in my life. I love Mary for all that she sacrificed to bring the Savior into this world and take care of him.  The Christmas story is my favorite scripture story. I can't express in words all that is in my heart right now. I love my Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. I know they love me and cherish me. The celebration of His birth is my favorite thing.

I firmly believe in Santa Claus and the North Pole and how it symbolizes the giving side of Christmas. I have a beautiful ceramic Santa Claus statue with his sleigh and 2 reindeer that I display along with all of  my creches',  I have to read the Polar Express to the boys at least 5 or 6 times every year. We also watch the movie now as often as we can. I never get tired of it.  I am like a child when it comes to Santa Claus I love everything he represents about the season of giving.  Workshops full of people making gifts for others. Second chances to get on the nice list. No one left without a gift. The smiles on a childs face as they tear through a gift.  The boys trying to make sense of how Santa gets down that tiny chimney. Oh I love it. I love surprises. I also love giving gifts and seeing the faces of the people I love as they open their gift.

I love the smell of my big christmas tree. John and I take the kids out to a tree farm each year and we wander around for an hour arguing about which tree to get until one of us finally gives in and we watch daddy chop it down.This year was especially fun. I try to get the tree up the Sat. after Thanksgiving but with Johns work schedule I have learned to give up on that idea and I get it up as soon as we can. I am not patient about Christmas at all. I put on the christmas music as soon as the Thanksgiving Turkey is cleaned off the table. I would leave the tree up all year if I could. But then it would not be as special.  I have pictures of our tree cutting adventure.

I put lights in my windows just one single candle  in each window. The lights outside are clear icicle lights that combined with the christmas tree lights and the window lights and candles gives my living room a soft peaceful glow. I love how my house feels at christmas. I can sit in the living room and feel the most incredible peaceful feeling as I look at all the soft twinkling lights. mmmmm I love christmas. I can't wait till Christmas morning.