We love Christmas

We love Christmas at my house.   Ok, so I think that you read that and immediately thought, "so what?  a lot of people do."   I don't think WE and LOVE are really the appropriate word choices.   HE and ADORES may be better substitutions.  HE ADORES CHRISTMAS.   Maybe that's better.  

The "he" I'm referring to is my darling 8 year old son.   

Yesterday we put the Christmas tree up fully intending it to be all ready to decorate Thanksgiving evening.   But that wasn't happening.  We literally could not hold him back from throwing on his favorite Christmas PJs, humming Christmas carols and diving headfirst into boxes and boxes of greenery, lights and ribbon.  

Have you ever seen the movie "Elf?"  Hudson is ALL that the amazing human sized elf played by Will Farrell and MORE.  He has that same innocent heart and positivity.  He has that wide-eyed wonder of looking at everything as magical and beautiful.   

He picked up each ornament gently and excitedly wanting me to tell him its story.   He teared up at many complete with appropriate "awws" and giggles.  He popped Santa hats and antlers on each of our heads.   His sweet little sister played along, excited, but nothing compared to her brother.     When the last ornament was placed on the tree he said the words he has said every year since he was big enough to talk, "this is the most beautiful tree in the entire world."  

And you know what?  He meant it.   Every single word.   

This morning he burst out of bed and ran down the stairs.  I was cozied up on the couch enjoying some quiet time with my Bible and a warm fire trying to distract myself from the chaos of Christmas decorations yet to be put up.  The elves had returned!  Hud was jumping frantically unable to contain himself and dashed back up to wake his sister.  He nudged her sleepy-eyed self down the stairs and was talking a mile a minute, "they are here and there is slime and they are on the bookcase and there are jammies and a note and they wrote us a note!!"   So many words.  So few pauses. Phew.   

It was a bit much for 6 am.  For ALL of us.   And throughout the whole process of trying to get him to focus and get ready for the day we must have each (including his sister) said to "settle down!) a hundred times.   

But as the door closed and they headed off to the bus an eerie quiet came over our house.   I sat down and looked around.   And in that moment I saw things as his gentle spirit saw them.  

I saw the beauty of the decorations.  I saw the personality of our darling tree.   I saw the stories of years of collecting mismatched decor and Christmas gifts.   I saw the love that surrounds us and the place where we are writing memories that will forever live in their hearts.   

I pray that this year I may be reminded of the JOY through which my children, especially Hudson ;) see the holidays, not because of perfection or Pinterest worthy decor, but because they are exactly as they should be.   Because they are ours.   

P.S.  I still reserve all rights to snap, become impatient and need reminding the "reason for the season."  

The letter is one put together with some searching online and compiling of a few formats along with an "official" N.P stamp.   Here is a link to the google doc I put together to share!   

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1uGPEcrV5Y7OBis8ARsbyKaLMJJmeeYr2KC1rwyLOLmU/edit?usp=sharing