Day 1311

Today, all of the gifts are wrapped, the cards are sent and the house is ready to welcome family. What a beautiful moment in time.

When I was little, this same home stood ready to welcome loved ones. Visualizing those beloved people warms my heart through a few tears. The traditions… Christmas cookies, Santa, Perry Como and Andy Williams singing on the record player, shaking the gifts under the tree, the decorations and so much more stand out vividly in my memory. At the center of the magic was my mom.

Loving this holiday, as I do, is more than the hustle and bustle of preparations, gatherings, baking and gifts. It is the magical memories, instilled in my heart as a child, that surface and allow me to walk in my mom’s dancing footsteps. Suddenly seeing it through her eyes, I find a gentle warmth in every loving tradition. It is because of her that I love this season so very much.

Along with all the glamour and glitz she created, there was also a lesson that lives on. That lesson is love. Love of family, neighbors, friends and embracing the magic of Christmas. Thank you, Mom.

So, I sit by the tree with my Golden Boys and wait for loved ones to walk through the door. My heart is full.