Merry Christmas!

It’s June 25^th!!  183 days until Christmas!!

It is also 182 days since last Christmas.  Half way through the year, if you use Christmas as the starting and ending point… which I do.  I love Christmas. The music, the giving and receiving of presents, the food, the parties, the joy, the gathering of families and friends, and, above all, the beautiful church services.  All of the wonderful things that make up Christmas will far negate the bad things about the holiday such as the long lines, crowds, bad weather, traveling, etc.  I can ignore all of that and just bask in the joy of the holiday if I concentrate on the good things.

So, for me, the countdown has begun.  I feel that once June 25^th hits, I can comfortably start thinking about Christmas.  Before now it would just seem foolish and almost like I’m wishing the year away. But now it is pretty much past the half way point and I can start thinking about what presents to buy, what cookies I will make and where I will be spending the holiday. Of course, 183 days is a long time to wait and, knowing me, I probably won’t start shopping until after Thanksgiving.  But I can start making lists and paying attention to what my nieces and nephew say.  They drop hints about presents they would like without really even knowing that is what they are doing.  I listen for clues like new hobbies, new interests, things that they have matured into being able to do (i.e. I’m waiting for my one niece to be able to old enough to conquer knitting. She has tried before but I think she was too young for her fingers to grasp it.  Maybe this year?), and other ideas that they give me so I can buy them really great presents.  I consider it such an accomplishment to give a present that someone really loves and that they had never even considered they wanted.  It makes gift giving that much more exciting.

A little over six months. 183 days.  I can hardly wait!

Merry Christmas, everyone!!