It’s beginning to look a lot like…

 

I bet you can finish that sentence, can’t you? But honestly, I’m wondering just how much it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas for so many?

This year will be different, that’s for sure. It won’t be the chaos of wild gift tossing and unwrapping. There won’t be loud games around the table or Christmas carol competitions (like who can sing the loudest!). There will be smaller, more subdued households all around.

For me, I’ll miss the photos that normally happen…the reminders of the fun that was had. We’ll be taking pictures and sharing with family who are not with us, but it won’t be the same.

We have planned food, but not a formal meal. We will have our Christmas cocktails, but skipping the “famous” eggnog this year. We will Zoom throughout the day, but again, it won’t be the same.

I’m determined to find joy where I can and that might take a little extra effort, but I will find joy!

I’ll enjoy watching family open gifts, even if it is done in shifts, at different times and maybe different places. I’ll enjoy prepping tasty things and eating them all! I’ll especially enjoy crafted Christmas cocktails…whatever they may be. I’ll enjoy not having the pressure to get lots of eggnog ready too!

I think what will bring me the most joy is looking at the “picture” of our family! The picture of our stockings! These adorable stockings were made by my brother, Joey. The number of stockings has grown through the years and looking at how many are hanging now, well, it makes me smile. It brings me joy!

This will be the picture of Christmas that I will hold onto this year. If we can’t be together in person, at least our stockings will provide the image of our growing family. From two parents, to four children, to spouses of children, to six grandchildren, to spouses of grandchildren, to great-grandchildren, we now have a total of 27 stockings!  

I hope you find joy in your Christmas…however it may be. This is a tough year overall, but we’re all in it together! Enjoy this last week, leading up to Christmas. I know I will as I continue to work my way through my Advent calendar full of cocktails!