Soak up the Reason and the Season

I've seen this pin floating around a bunch of boards this week

and it made me happy that so many people

were attempting to get to the TRUE meaning of Christmas.

[source]

As I've grown older, I've become more and more aware of 

HOW STRESSFUL the holidays can be

and of HOW MUCH pressure people put on themselves. 

Our world of constant access to everyone makes

keeping up with the Jones' even harder.
Everywhere seems show some remindar of how
MUCH better someone is at something.

Your ELF ON THE SHELF isn't as good as theirs.

You might not be ready for Christmas, but did you see so and so had their tree up before Thanksgiving with all presents wrapped and placed under the tree.

All of so and so's gifts are hand made.

Or 100% green.

Or all on sale.

IT.IS.EVERYWHERE!

And it's soooooooooooo not the point of Christmas.

I know some people aren't religious, but choose to celebrate
the giving season of Christmas and treat it as a
THANKSGIVING with presents.

Personally, I agree with the quote C's grandmother wrote
on the back of our Christmas card
"Santa lives at the North Pole.

Jesus lives EVERYWHERE!"

However, to each their own. 

I think that EVERYONE needs to take a step back
from the STUFF and really soak in the MOMENTS!

The *small* and the [big] moments.

And realize that their moments don't have to look like
ANYONE else's moments.

Your moments might be a particulallry funny Elf on a shelf.
Or a special dinner out with a loved one.
Maybe it's the Nutcracker ballet.
Or maybe it's just a Christmas movie at home in sweats.

My moments have changed this year.

It's less about the doing things, and more about recognizing
the moments that are all around.

Simple, married moments that are made more special by
Christmas tree light and music.

Last night was a testament to making moments
and not just wanting things.

C and I had planned to go to the National tree
as we have done the past three years together.
It's a lil tradition we love and one I was looking forward too.

But, when my husband came home looking exhausted
after multiple late nights working,
I embraced change and canceled our plans.

I let him decide what he wanted for dinner and we ended up
going into a different part of town for a wonderful
date night together.

It wasn't what I planned, but it was perfect.

As good 'ol Kenny says,
"yeah man, that's the goooooood stuff"

My hope for you sweet friends, is that you embrace

this season and you embrace the reason. 

We may not share the same beliefs,

but we can share the idea that moments

and people matter more than things and stuff right?!?

PS[DOT]COM:

Remember, keep the CHRIST in Christmas
and the X in TeXas! :)

******************

My bit of cheer was listening to this song on Pandora. 

I know it's old, but is one of my favorite holiday mashups.

They are so incredibly talented!