Merry Christmas!

The hours until Christmas are being tracked by my youngest.  :0)  Gotta love it.

Our tradition is to open gifts from family and friends on Christmas Eve (this is how I was brought up) and then wake up to find gifts from Santa on Christmas morning.

I’m not sure yet which Christmas mass we’ll be going to.  I love the idea of midnight mass on Christmas Eve (which is actually going to be held at midnight this year!  Yes, in years past, the “midnight” mass has been held at 10:30….go figure.)  However, actually staying awake until then is not an easy thing for me.  (I’m not a night owl this time of year.)  We DID go to the “midnight” mass at least once in the recent past and we all enjoyed it immensely.  The choir was amazing and, if I remember correctly, the lights were dimmed, which I just love.

Whatever YOUR tradtions are, I hope that you all have a wonderful and blessed Christmas!

Try to relax, simplify and focus on simply enjoying the company of those you love.  The decorations and food don’t have to be “perfect”…that’s not what’s most important.  Make memories of BEING together.

If this is the year when your children spend Christmas day with your ex-spouse, chances are that  it’ll be a difficult day for you.   I do hope, if that’s the case, that you’ll be spending the day with friends and extended family or, perhaps. making new friends/family by helping out at a homeless shelter or soup kitchen.   Then, celebrate Christmas with your children either before or after the actual day!

If you have some great suggestions for how to spend a Christmas day away from your children, please share it with all of us by leaving a comment.  That would be a lovely gift.

May God bless you and those you love!!

Merry Christmas!

Manya