8 reasons besides Christmas December warms my heart
The cookie swap lineup a few years ago.1. My family's annual cookie swap, which has been happening for more than 25 years (no one knows the number for sure). It's the one tried, true, and continuing tradition I share with my mom and sisters, and all the kids and kids' kids we've produced.
2. My middle daughter's birthday, the goofy and great mother of my grandsons. Happy birthday, Megan!
3. My son-in-law's birthday, as equally goofy and great as my daughter to whom he's married and the sons to whom he's the dad. Happy birthday, Preston!
4. My dear friend's birthday, the one friend I've stayed (thankfully) close to for more years than any other. Happy birthday, Debbie.
5. The birthday of a friend from days long gone (but still a Facebook friend!). The high-school friend who graciously invited me to live with her when my mom moved mid junior year. The friend who, inexplicably so, was later diagnosed with MS, just as I was, just as her Dad had been years earlier. Truly, inexplicable. Thoughts of her always warm my heart, make me smile. Happy birthday (today!), Joanie.
6. My baby sister's birthday. A baby sister all grown up—grown up to be several inches taller than me, in fact, and oh-so much stronger in oh-so many ways. Happy birthday, Susan.
7. The anniversary of being laid off from my longest-held job. Three years ago I became an editor no more. I thought it was an end, but it was truly just the beginning of great and unexpected things. Happy anniversary to me...and to all my Special Sections co-horts who were laid off with (and some before) me!
8. The countdown to a new year, a new year which holds the promise of being, as always, better than the one ending.
Today's question:
What about December besides Christmas warms your heart?
Friday, December 2, 2011
Reader Comments (12)
That's so sweet. We'll have to celebrate that "anniversary" next time we all get together!
For the life of me, I can't come up with anything else that warms my heart in December besides Christmas. Zip, zilch, nada.
Well, I'm glad it's an extra special month for you!
December and Christmas are so much better for me now then they used to be. I am one of those people born the week before Christmas and I always hated it. Didn't help that my Dad's birthday was 3 days before Christmas and my sister's was 5 days after. I hated that my presents were always Christmas/Birthday presents. I HATED when my presents were wrapped in Christmas wrap.
THEN a few years ago my wonderful daughter gave me permission to move my birthday! We now celebrate my birthday on June 16th and I love it! For so many reasons! I hate snow and I love sunshine. June is such a better month for me and now I can just enjoy Christmas all on it's own!
I am also counting down to the end of the year. I can not WAIT for this year to be over. 2012 just HAS to be better, right? Well, except for the whole "world coming to an end" thing. ;-)
Other December happy-things are the birthdays of Mitch, my brother, one of my sisters and my BFF from high school. Hmmmm...lotta of December babies out there. I guess people start getting bored or something around March. :-D
Self-adhesive postage stamps. My blog post today was inspired by your blog post yesterday.
I remember those cookie swaps, and I LOVED them! December is bittersweet for me in so many ways. It's my Dad's birthday. I miss him, my sons and my grandsons so very much. And I miss my little sister. We've stayed close thanks to social networking, so it's not so bad the last few years. December's just a time of reflection for me, sometimes leading to depression, but mostly reminding me why my struggles are so worth the effort!
December is for Christmas, The cookie swap, Megan's and Susan's birthdays but, also, remembering Christmases Past: Bubble lights, always receiving more than my parents could afford so I believed in Santa much longer than most; didn't find out about "credit" at Western Auto 'til some time later.
It's also another Thanksgiving, many opportunities to thank God for my past good fortune but, mostly, to thank him for my children and grand-children and how well the children have been able to do so much RIGHT for the grandchildren and their children.
Thanks so much for the birthday wish and I too am so thankful that we've been able to stay close for so long!
December warms my heart because I too have alot of family birthdays this month.....the most special is my mom's (and her twin sister). Mom is going to be 77 this year and still going strong! I also love the tastes and smells of December (I carry the pumpkin flavor from Nov. to Dec.!). And of course Christmas memories from the past with my very large family and new memories being made with my grown children and my granddaughter.
Happy Birthday, Debbie E., you cute little Hawaiian, You!
Mine is Christmas related: I love watching my kids get sucked in by the magic of the season. They're both fascinated by Christmas lights and the idea of Santa Claus. Kaylee is just dying to bake cookies for Santa, even though she's been told they'll go stale before Christmas if we bake them now...
With all those births, so much for the theory, it was a very cold winter... Instead, sounds like more than a few had a spring in their step for one reason or another....
What warms my heart about December is my daughter's birthday the day after Christmas...it keeps the celebrating going! And this December my son-in-law is coming home from Iraq. In less than 2 weeks!