Real Enjoyment From Christmas Should Come From Families, Not Gifts

So Christmas is over! Most of us are exhausted by now. In fact, most are probably still asleep as I write this blog entry.

Yes, my daughter is still sound asleep. Our Christmas was a little different this year because my husband is not working. However, that being said we made the best of it, and had a wonderful Christmas despite a lot of disappointments we have faced over the last 9 months.

We are all healthy and though that's said a lot, it truly is the thing we should be most thankful for.

This Christmas I had a little more time to reflect, especially on what is important in my life --which is my family. We are close and we are strong.

The other day, I listened to a little audio cassette tape recorded on my grandmother's birthday back in the late '60s. I heard my dad's voice and that of many of the others in my family who have passed on. My dad, grandparents, and two uncles are all deceased, but they live on in this tape. All of us kids were quite small, but as I listened to this tape I realized where my family values came from.

My family values came from many generations of people who did without many monetary things. What was important to them and what should be important to everyone today is a strong family. It's not what is under the tree, but who is around the tree.


My husband Greg and daughter Nicole on Christmas Day


Gifts come and go. Toys break. Clothes you receive wear out. However, a strong family will always endure. They may be beaten down at times, but if you stay united and strong nothing can destroy that.


Who's the REAL reindeer?

So even though we didn't receive many monetary gifts this year, the best gift I received yesterday was my family's laughter. We were together and happy. No amount of presents or money can replace that feeling.

Patch enjoying his Christmas as only he can!

So I thank my parents and grandparents who lived through the Great Depression. They had nothing monetarily, but they had love and family.

My mom, Nicole, and me

My family is what gets me through life. My family is what keeps me going. All our families should be the most important people in our lives.

It's not the things we have in our lives, but the people we have in our lives. This extends to many friends who are not only friends, but an extension of my family. We all need each other to talk to and get thru the tough times.

I don't want to get too religious, but I believe that is the message Jesus came to Earth with. It was for peace on Earth, and that all begins with your family. Peace begins at home and that peace will be passed along to others.

So let's all be thankful for the people in our lives -- not the gifts we received. Because the gifts will fade, but family is always there.

May 2008 bring peace and happiness to your family!