Preparing For The Holidays: Step two-decorating

After the house is cleaned it's time to get out the decorations, ours come out of the basement. This part of the process is not enjoyable and the grumbling echoes all the way up the stairs. It's funny how many things your family members can realize they forgot they need to do at that moment. After all the boxes arrive upstairs I am left to take my trip down memory lane. Each box opened reveals treasures, carefully wrapped in tissue paper. Some older and some acquired more recently but treasures all the same. As each one is unwrapped, admired and put in it's special place, I remember. Maybe it's one of the boys coming in from school with an ornament clutched in their little hand they made that day and his smile as it was placed on the tree or in another place that said we valued it. Some are gifts from friends and I am reminded of the blessing they have been in my life. For some it's a remembrance of special places we've been and things that are special to us. What ever the boys were into that year, I know you all have those karate Santa's , Santa's with basketballs or maybe even super heroes. I realize again just how quickly the years have passed. Then there are the ones that honor loved ones lost, I see their faces and fell the emptiness their passing has left in my life. Year after year they are a part of our Christmas just as they will always be part of our life.

Then I begin to prod my husband, it's time for the lights! He doesn't enjoy it even though he's a master at it. We put colored lights on the tree and white on everything else. My favorite thing is to sit in the dark living room watching the tree twinkle. The glow it cast across the room is magical.

My favorite decoration though is the Nativity, the very reason for Christmas. I have a small collection and they are placed all around the house. I imagine all the emotion Mary must have been dealing with during the birth of her son. Knowing that one day she would give Him up for a world that would not even realize the significance of it. Yes I do love all the Christmas decor but nothing more than that original Christmas light that came into the dark world when it all begin and still shines to this day.