I know that today is Valentine’s Day, but I really feel the need to share this.  Christmas was so awesome this year that I am still smiling.

Santa’s Elves Finished Early

Every year at Christmas I am usually sewing until early Christmas morning.  I have often gone to bed stressed out about an hour before my children start to stir.  This makes for a tired Mom on Christmas morning.  This year was different.

Three days before Christmas I completed the last of the Christmas Jammies, my daughter’s Christmas dress, four out of five crochet sweaters and all my shopping.  I’d even gotten in all wrapped and under the tree.  I didn’t know what to do with myself.  I enjoyed evenings finishing that last sweater and watching Christmas movies.  No last-minute stress trying to get all my projects done.  Early to bed on Christmas Eve.

Children

Of course children are what make Christmas for me.  With all but one of my children grown and moved away it can sometimes be lonely.  This year I had four out of my six children home for Christmas plus a new daughter-in-law and an extra.  We were all relaxed and could just enjoy each others company.

Together Time

We did a lot of reading.  My mother laughed when she came into the family room and found six of us sprawled in chairs and on the floor reading.  Four of us were reading the same book and laughing together at the fun parts.

We got two new games this Christmas.  Telestrations and Diddly, the game of Squat.  We enjoyed playing these together especially when my son declared a crusade against his older sister.  He lost big time.  His sister smiled, laughed and razzed him.

My youngest daughter got to play army men with her big brother.  They sat at the kitchen table and there were battles, bombings, missiles, anti-missile systems, explosions, death and mayhem.  The battle lasted a couple of hours.  They had a great time.

We got a new jigsaw puzzle.  We had a lot of fun just sitting and talking and putting it together.

I took my big kids out to dinner and a movie.  We went and saw the second Hobbit movie and then went to Apple Bee’s for dinner.  It was a fun evening just hanging out and catching up.

So Much Healing

This was a very healing Christmas for me.  There was no stress, no family politics and no rushing.  There was lots of laughter, lots of quiet and lots of love. So much of that hole within me was filled with joy I am still, two months later, feeling it and smiling.

The only thing that would have made it better is having all of my children and grandchildren around.