Upon entering college, my family decided Santa didn’t need to bring me anymore presents under the tree because education was my gift. While this may seem odd or even sad to some, I am grateful for this decision. Not only do I receive the incredible gift of college, but I also developed a deeper sense of what Christmas is all about.
For example, instead of waking up on Christmas morning, racing down the stairs, and tearing open the numerous packages from the North Pole, my mom and I make breakfast. This year’s meal will be hot, homemade cinnamon rolls with Honey Baked Ham and fresh hot chocolate. Mmmmm… I cannot wait.
As we eat, my family usually watches a Christmas movie or animated cartoon. In the past, we enjoyed classics such as White Christmas and It Happened on Fifth Avenue, or cute shows like Annabelle the Christmas Cow and The Little Drummer Boy. Whatever we decide on, we always watch it as if that is our first time viewing it. In other words, we just really learn to appreciate all the little details.
Next, we’ll start preparing our meal by putting in the pumpkin pie to bake. In the meantime, we prepare the turkey so that it can start roasting slowly throughout the afternoon.
After the cooking is underway, my mom and I will walk our dog as long as the weather cooperates. Sometimes we are able to drive over to a local park and take our time wandering through the forest, trying to spot deer, ducks, and wolves (just kidding). One time, we arrived at the park around one in the afternoon, walked, and returned to the car only to discover we spent nearly three hours in the forest. In our minds, we thought we were only gone for an hour or so. Who cares, though? We had fun.
Back at home, we usually eat a little “snack,” meaning some sort of candy and eggnog. A few years ago, we bought some Russell Stover and Whitman’s candy boxes, but we were disappointed in the variety. So now we enjoy other treats, such as buckeyes or coconut chocolate stacks. As we nibble, my family usually plays a game. My mom and I really enjoy the card game, Skip-Bo, but we all like Christmas in a Box, which is the holiday version of Monopoly.
Before we know it, dinner time arrives. So, my mom and I put on our aprons and begin fixing the side dishes for our meal. Since we love the food at Thanksgiving so much, we just repeat the same menu. As such, we feast on turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, cranberry sauce, cornbread, and green bean casserole. Honestly, I could eat this meal every single day and never get sick of it.
During our meal, we play a Christmas CD in the background. Some of my favorites holiday singers include Andy Griffith, Frank Sinatra, Perry Como, Bing Crosby, Andy Williams, Bobby Vinton… Basically all of the crooners. What can I say? I guess I’m an old soul! (If you’re looking for a holiday song perfect for any time of the year, check out Perry’s Love is Spreading All Over the World!)
After cleaning dishes, we all gather together to enjoy another movie. Again, we love the classics, but some Hallmark movies, such as The Christmas Card and A Grandpa for Christmas, are great too! To accompany our movie, we slice up the pumpkin pie and finish the evening on a sweet note.
Sadly, after the movie, we all head off to bed because the day comes to an end. However, I never feel sad or anything throughout the day, even without opening presents. Why? Because Christmas is so much more than the gifts. Although this sounds cheesy, Christmas is about love. In other words, it’s about celebrating the love between family members, the love between friends, the love between God and His children. As such, we always include Christ in our festivities. Even if we just look at our manger or appreciate God’s creation in the park, we remember to thank God for the best gift of all, the one the matters the most: His Son, our Lord.
May you all have a very Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays. Enjoy the time with your loved ones and thank God for His love. I wish you the best this time of year and always.
Sincerely,
Ash
Sincerely, Ash 
