Christmas Without The Magic?

Quick! Take down halloween and throw up Thanksgiving! 

Quick! Put away the wooden pilgrims and throw up the Toy Soldier! We only have three and a half weeks to display it! 

Tree upstairs. Tree downstairs. Lights on the house. Lights on the fireplace mantles. Lights on the entry table. Lights on the porch. Lights on the hutch at the top of the stairs. Two battery operated candles. Illuminated presents above the entertainment center. Don't forget the Sentsy warmers!

Turn ON the light displays in the morning. Turn them all OFF at night. 

"I did it last night!"

"I don't know why we have so many things of lights, anyway!"

"Is that new? I don't remember that from last year?"

"Why do we have so much junk (that's Jason's translation for Christmas decorations)?

I swear that when I was little Christmas was full of magic. The lights twinkled brighter, the carols were prettier, and snow was fun! The older I get, the more the magic disappears. The string of lights on the house constantly has at least one bulb burned out. The songs are getting annoying- the same ones over and over. Snow translates into dirty slush on the garage floor that melts into mud puddles that the kids then step in on their way in and out of the car and house. Yuck!

Just Tuesday, I made Jason hang ornaments from the arch on my porch. He had to use a 12 foot extension ladder to reach the brick archway in order to drill in screws to hang them from. He made a good point: "Isn't Christmas NEXT WEEK?!" Yes. But don't they look cute.

I keep thinking that my shopping is done. Then I wake up in the middle of the night, panicked when I remember who I've missed! 

I still haven't gotten Great Grandpa Palmer his gift, though not for lack of trying. Target was completely sold out of dust busters! You have to think of something that he will REALLY use. This year, a dust buster meets that criteria. 

I can't wait to see the expression on the kids' faces Christmas morning when they see that Santa has come. I will enjoy hanging out with the family and eating the yummy candies. It's just.... some of that Christmas magic is lost when your the grown-up who is responsible for the planning, the purchasing, the wrapping, the counting (got to keep it even with kids), and the making sure it's just right, of every gift. Not to mention coordinating all the parties and get togethers, the neighbor gifts, the church callings, and the school activities. And, a Christmas dinner made by me just doesn't taste as good as the meals that someone else cooked for me.

We have made Jesus a big part of the holiday. Don't think that I have forgotten what this season represents. I am so grateful to my Father in Heaven for the blessings in my life. But, lets be real. We adults have a lot to do this time of year. It makes me appreciated all that my parents did for me when I was little to make the season a magical time in my life. I want this time of year to be magical for my kids, too! After all, who wants a Christmas without the magic?