I Remember When

Here we are.

12 days until Christmas.

Can you believe how fast it's approaching?

It was actually nice to be snowed in this weekend.

I managed to get a lot done.

I always had Christmas carols on in the background

and enjoyed some great

 Christmas movies in the evenings.

I heard an interesting quote this weekend.

I don't recall where I heard it or who said it

but it really struck a cord with me.

I'd like to share it with all of you.

"We spend our adult lives, chasing the Christmas magic we knew as children."

Wow. 

Whomever said that put into words what I have been feeling lately.

In fact, for several years now.

To me, Christmas just isn't the same without my parents.

No more of my Mom coming in the door,

dressed in her beautiful Christmas outfit, carrying a brown paper bag... or two.

She always had something wonderful in those bags.

It might be a treat or an early present to open.

She could NOT wait for you to open the gifts she bought you!

No more looking at the huge ball of Parmesan cheese

that my Dad had hanging in the basement to age

or watching him grate it for our Christmas spaghetti.

As my previous posts have mentioned,

I have carried forward many of my family traditions.

I've also added a few of my own for my kids.

 I wonder if they will remember any of them with the same fondness I have of my Christmas pasts.

This will be our third year for Christmas Bingo.

I spend a  lot of time scouring the stores for little items

as Bingo prizes. 

It can be a challenge trying to find something everyone will like.

Male, female and ages 17-60+.

It's become something that everyone looks forward to

and it helps to make Christmas Eve go a little quicker (to get the the gifts, you know)!

For the last couple of years, Becky and I have started our own

little tradition.

I found this stocking at a local discount store.

This is the side I always place outward:

Sorry, I cut off the e, but you get the idea.

As soon as Becky spots it,

she yells at me then screams with laughter and promptly turns it over to

"her side."

I can't count how many times this stocking

gets flipped around in a season.

We have a lot of giggles with it.

Getting back  to my earlier quote,

I want to give you all a gift on this Twelfth Day of Christmas.

That is the gift of magic.

Christmas magic is still there for

the adults.

Sometimes, it's just a little harder to find.

Sometimes, we just have to make it ourselves.

Sometimes, we find our magic in making magic for others.

I hope you find the magic.

I find it everyday,

in all of you.