I love the holiday season. I really do. Yes, in many ways it is overly commercial. So what? That’s 5th Avenue’s version and if it works for them, (HA!), let them do their thing. As much as I love this time of year, I’m glad that Christmas is behind us if for no other

Over the years, I’ve learned how to make the holiday season matter to me, to keep the authenticity of Christmas front and center. I enjoy the décor (though I’m likely to enjoy it more if it’s not displayed before we’re carved the first piece of turkey). Love finding great gifts for friends/family. Love wrapping said gift in pretty paper and bows. Rushing the little ones off to bed early. Having them wake up the whole house so we can open presents. I love seeing the look of surprise and happiness on the face of the recipient when they open the box and find something lovingly picked just for them.

While I love all of that and more, I’m glad to see this Christmas wind down. Why? Part of it is so that we can get folks to stop grousing about it being so commercial and going on about what they spent (and shouldn’t have). More importantly, so that people can really sit back, sift through all the crumbled wrapping paper, the mangled bows, and boxes turn beyond repair to find what really matters.

Ever since I became a member of the workforce some many years ago, I’ve always shopped with a budget. Haven’t always stayed within that budget but hey, I had one. LOL This year, I managed to be well under that budget. My list of recipients was shorter this year. By design.

I think I’m a good gift giver. I listen to people, hearing what they say (and what they don’t), really trying to think about what our relationship is and then fit their gift around that information. For some people, it’s easier said than done.

I did manage to give something very special to every person on my list this year. It’s not an unusual gift and I work to be sure they get it during the course of the year but during the holiday season, I try to go a bit deeper with it. It truly is the gift that keeps on giving.

The gift of time.

Time spent creating memories in the midst of all the commercialization of the season, in between the Christmas movies and favorite cartoons, in the pauses between opening that next gift. I managed to steal a little quiet time with each member of my family, from the little babies to the big ones. LOL

There were piles and piles of gifts to be opened. And we tackled them like the champs that we are. But long after my niece Punkin has lost the pencil to her drawing game, long after the wheels stop turning on P-nut’s race car, after Princess So Fabulous has finished those new books, after my sister-in-law has sampled all her perfume, after BigBro#4 has put together that great Obama puzzle, after my mom has used her new handbag, after the phone calls to and from other friends & family….they will remember the time we spent together, laughing, playing, reminiscing…the memories we revisited and the ones that we created anew.

Baking cookies. Singing silly songs. Laughing at folks playing Wii Fit. Beating folks at the new board games. Telling tales of Christmas past.

In the midst of all the gifts that you gave, in the midst of all that you received, I pray that you received the gift of quality time from and with someone special.

Just think of the joy you’ll have next holiday season as you trim the tree and those memories tumble out of the box.

Happy Holidays!

*Sneeze*

‘Xcuse me…and all the dust and the little dust bunnies. It has been a minute, huh? What can I say? Life happens.

Just breezing through to wish you and yours a Happy Thanksgiving.

As you move through the day, I hope that you are reminded of all the blessings in your life, all the thing that really matter, those little moments that string together to create priceless memories.

Give thanks for it all. It all serves a purpose. Yes, even the rough spots. Not just those “pretty moments” but the places where life got hard or uncomfortable. Those are the places that afford us “growth spurts” - mentally, emotionally, spiritually.

Take time to count your blessings - big or small, easy or hard. Count them all. And then count it all joy.

Happy Thanksgiving!
Happy ThanksLiving!

Ms. Jayy & Fam