Christmas Faves

There are a lot of things that I love about the Christmas season. I love the weather. To me, the best kind of day there could ever be is one of the blustery, freezing kinds of days. You know the kind where the hairs in your nose start to freeze when you breathe in deeply?? And life can't get much better than a good snow. That's a favorite of mine.

I love the music of Christmas. From the goofy songs ("I Wanna Hippopatamus for Christmas" comes to mind) to the more serious/spiritual songs (think "The First Noel" or "O Holy Night") to those oldies but goodies we grew up singing ("I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas" and "The 12 Days of Christmas")- I love it all.

I love the sights of Christmas. I love driving home in the evenings and seeing houses lit up, some in multi-colored lights, some in all white. I love the festive decor in the yards (with the exception of the gigantic, blow-up things that never seem to be able to stay afloat). I love seeing the Christmas trees lit up in front windows, wreaths on the doors, candles in the windows. I love the poinsettas in our church sanctuary. It makes me smile to walk in and see them arranged so beautifully each week.

I love the time with family during the Christmas season. We will have Jeff's family at our house the weekend before Christmas. I will cook a feast, we will laugh, play cards, exchange gifts, and just hang out. Then, we will do it again Christmas Day with my family in Louisville. I love that time spent with each other.

I love the memories of Christmases past. One of my favorite days of the year is when we put up our Christmas tree. While doing so, we look at the ornaments, and I can remember where almost all of them came from. I remember what was happening in our lives at the time we received them, and it's good to look back at that. I especially love looking at the ornaments that Bryan made when he was small. Wow... he's really growing up!

And finally, I love the traditions of Christmas. When I was growing up, we went to see a movie on Christmas Eve before coming home to open presents. Just before opening them, we read the Christmas story from the Bible together and prayed together. For some reason, my brother and I laughed out loud during that prayer every year. And now that we are adults, we still laugh out loud during that prayer every year. It's a tradition. Christmas wouldn't be the same without it. We have traditions ourselves now. One is to ride through the Ky Horse Park and see the lights they have displayed. We go every year, and I never get tired of it! We watch some of our favorite Christmas movies together as a family every year. No matter how many times you have seen it, "A Christmas Story" will always be great! Tonight we will take part in another of our Christmas traditions... the annual Prosser/Osborne Christmas cookie bake! We have been friends with Doug and Michelle for 14 years. Our families have grown together and shared so much through the years. This tradition started off with just the 4 of us adults making cookies together 12 years ago. Now, our children (they have a beautiful daughter Bella) are in on the fun too. So, tonight we will gather at the Osborne home and bake cookies, eat together, exchange gifts, and laugh more than you can imagine. It's a favorite Christmas tradition. I can't wait to get there tonight! I will post pics soon of the whole thing!

So, to recap my faves..
Favorite silly Christmas song... I wanna Hippopatamus For Christmas
Favorite spiritual Christmas song... The First Noel
Favorite "other" Christmas song... Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire
Favorite Christmas movie...toss up between the Grinch (original) and Christmas Story
Favorite Christmas tradition... cookie bake and KY Horse park lights
Favorite Christmas treat... Christmas mice (YUMMY)
Favorite Christmas ornament...homemade ornament from Bryan during his kindergarten year (I will post pics of that soon too)
Favorite Christmas memory... Bryan's second Christmas (the first one that he really understood that he was getting gifts and was SOOOO excited!

So, tell me... what are your faves of the season??