Day 344 Question 344:

What about Christmas makes you feel warm and fuzzy?

It is no surprise that for many years I hated this holiday….I just generally hated this time of year.  My grandmother passed away on Christmas morning and it was my mother’s sadness that always stayed with me year after year.  For years on end I let the gray skies take a hold of me and instead of living I was just existing.  Over this past year I have seen my own selfishness and I have seen the life of anger and discontent that I was living and how I let that affect everyone around me.  I vowed to change because I want everyone to experience happiness and I know everyone is dealing with their own personal struggles.  This year I have decided to embrace Christmas and I know that my mom misses her mom but she also does not want all of us to relive it year after year.  I have invited my parents to come to my place for Christmas this year (and this will be the first time I have ever hosted).  It will only be the three of us but I am very excited about it because they are sharing my home with me.  I am able to do for them what they have done for me for the past 3 decades.  That is the feeling I have been aching for but just not realizing for so long.

Christmas is this one day that is so magical for children.  I remember as a young child sitting on a chair in my parent’s bedroom with my elbows propped up on the windowsill just staring at the night sky in hopes of catching a glimpse of Old St. Nick.  I remember racing down the stairs to see all of the cookies we had left out for Santa so he didn’t get hungry on his trip.  Even with such advancement in technology children can visit a website that tracks Santa’s location all throughout the night…I think that is so magical for children and it is the children that this holiday is for.  I do know the deeper meaning of Christmas and Jesus and I would never be disrespectful by taking that meaning away but for me it is the excitement in a child’s eyes and the belief in this magical man that brings him/her presents for being a good little boy or girl that has made me start to appreciate the holiday more.  I do not have kids and I more than likely never will but children are a huge part of my life and from this year on the holiday will no longer be about me but will instead be about them.

Twas the Night before Christmas

Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house

Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,

In hopes that St Nicholas soon would be there.

The children were nestled all snug in their beds,

While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads.

And mamma in her ‘kerchief, and I in my cap,

Had just settled our brains for a long winter’s nap.

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,

I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.

Away to the window I flew like a flash,

Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.

The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow

Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below.

When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,

But a miniature sleigh, and eight tinny reindeer.

With a little old driver, so lively and quick,

I knew in a moment it must be St Nick.

More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,

And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name!

“Now Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen!

On, Comet! On, Cupid! on, on Donner and Blitzen!

To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!

Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away all!”

As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,

When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky.

So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,

With the sleigh full of Toys, and St Nicholas too.

And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof

The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.

As I drew in my head, and was turning around,

Down the chimney St Nicholas came with a bound.

He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,

And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot.

A bundle of Toys he had flung on his back,

And he looked like a peddler, just opening his pack.

His eyes-how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!

His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!

His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,

And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow.

The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,

And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath.

He had a broad face and a little round belly,

That shook when he laughed, like a bowlful of jelly!

He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,

And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself!

A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,

Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,

And filled all the stockings, then turned with a jerk.

And laying his finger aside of his nose,

And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose!

He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,

And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.

But I heard him exclaim, ‘ere he drove out of sight,

“Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night!”