It's a day to spend with family and friends...a day to celebrate the day Jesus was born...a day to show everyone you love that you love them! It's my favorite holiday....makes me think of when I was little and how we celebrated.
I did not spend a Christmas in my home until I was a teenager. We had a "route" to visit....and I loved it. First stop on Christmas Eve was in San Mateo to my Uncle's house. The house was always filled to the brim with people...more food than anyone could consume....lots of laughter and fun! They are the most inviting loving group of people...never any drama...just fun! The one Christmas that will always stick out in my mind is when a salesman came to their front door on Christmas Eve, instead of being annoyed that he was there, he was welcomed in and spent time eating and celebrating with us! These moments are the times that define who we become!!!!
Next stop....Grandma and Grandpa's in Daly City. This is where we always spent Christmas Eve night. My cousins, aunt, uncle and grandparents joined us every year. Someone would dress as Santa (and I could swear it really was Santa) and hand out candy canes, my Grandpa would build a huge fire, we would sit around and have a family dinner....and open presents. Every year my Grandpa would run to the front of the house and say he heard Santa's reindeer...we would run to look and he would put cotton in the door and say he "almost caught" Santa for us. My Grandma would make sure I had my own can of olives....I would put them on every finger and run around eating them that way. There was always so much love, laughter and fun!
The next morning we would wake up and see what Santa had left for us...then head to my mom's best friends house and then my mom's sister. My Grandma on my mom's side would always buy me a "twirly dress" and I loved to spin in circles!
Time's have changed...now we stay in Modesto...my brother and his family live in Denver...and now we have Gabriel in our life to bring that Child-like joy back to Christmas!
I am so blessed to have Gabe in my life....he is amazing!!! For his Santa letter this year...he asked for Santa to bring all the homeless people gifts and to bless his family ( He did ask for an Xbox too LOL). At 11 years old... he has such an amazing understanding of what Christmas SHOULD be about!
Now Christmas is about watching Gabriel get excited to open presents..bake a cake for Jesus' birthday...and just spend time together. Now my joy in Christmas is seeing Christmas through Gabriel's eyes. I used to think that Christmas was amazing when I was a kid....but nothing compares to seeing Christmas through Gabe and my nephew's eyes!
Merry Christmas to all my friends and family...hope that you get to see Christmas through a child's eyes this year!!!!
