Christmas

To begin this post, I just wanted to take a moment and express my thanks for this Holiday season. I truly love this time of year, and all that it means. We have the opportunity to gather as a family and perhaps friends, and celebrate our Savior's birth. We also have a  celebration of sorts and try to help and give to others.

Today was a little crazy. We went up to my cousin's house and then to another family members. The house was filled with various people I had never met before, and I figured it had the potential to be awkward, but after a few minutes, everything mellowed out, and it was actually pretty fun and I really enjoyed myself. The powerful ties of family are a small but amazing process. You may not know them, but you are related to them and therefore, you have ties with that person. You can laugh and joke and tell stories with each other, and you care about what that person has to say right away because you share a blood-deep bond with that person. It's something that can occur at any time of year, but I notice it especially around the holidays.

For the past three years, as I've gotten ready for Christmas, something has happened. As I prepare and try and decide what to get various people, a project usually comes up. Something home-made, with lots of thought and time. The first year, I made a pillow out of an old shirt for a family member. I was so excited for them to open my present after the hours I had spent planning and preparing, and couldn't help the grin that lit my face. When they opened it, I leaned forward to get a better view just in time to see the person's face fall.

"You ruined my shirt?"

Oh no.....

"It was old and you never wore it anymore... I thought that this way, you could keep it because you liked it so much!"

"No, you ruined it."

Well, oh well. There wasn't much I could do about it. So I moved on as best I could, (with frequent reminders from the receiver about the ruined shirt.)

Soon a year had passed, and I began planning again. I won't go into details, but know that I spent hours planning, prepping, and arranging special circumstances for this special home-made gift. When it was finished, I was so excited! I couldn't believe that I had completed an idea, I had first thought was impossible.

The person hasn't used it.

And now it's that time of year again. And I'm happy to say, that the same thing has happened. I got an idea for someone, and became really excited about the project even before I began. I've worked hard, and put my time into it, so I hope it is received well.

But the thing is, that if it isn't, I really don't think I mind. I've had fun preparing for this Christmas, and have had fun working on "my latest project." I am filled with the joy of completion, and look forward to giving this gift, even if I am unsure of how it will be received.

And that's really what Christmas is all about, right? The birth of the Savior was like a gift to all of us. Without Him, we have no way to return to our home in heaven. His birth took planning, preparation, and much, much more, and the receiving reaction of the world was mixed. It was a glorious day to those that believed, and it is now carried on and remembered in the present day. For those that didn't believe, than it was something less special, but that doesn't undermine its importance. The gift was given, and it was up to the receiver to react to it.

This year as we gather with our families, let's allow the gift of the Savior to be in our hearts and minds, and with us as we bring in a new year.

Thank you all for reading.

Merry Christmas, and a very happy New Year.

~Melanie Skidmore