Welcome to the beginning of.....

* * *THE MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR* * *

I am happy to announce that it is December 1st and that it is currently 24 days away from Christmas. ahhh... the Christmas season; everything from snow to hot chocolate. I love this time of year, and I'm pretty sure that a lot of my happiest memories stem from this holiday season. It warms the very cockles of my heart.

So here are 12 things I love about Christmas:

1. Spending time with my family. This is the most fun we have all year, I think, and the thought of lounging around the living room with my sisters and brothers and mom and papa after a good holiday meal, sipping hot chocolate or enjoying a candy cane off the decorated Christmas tree, its warm light radiating throughout the whole room... oh man... it makes me feel so warm and squishy inside!

2. Baking. This is very fun. Cookies, cakes, squares! Bite size holiday yumminess! The very thing that is purposely and only for self-indulgence and pleasure! Mmmm... (no wonder I gain so much weight at this time of year... it's just too good) Most of all I love how it heats up our house! Haha...

3. I kind of already mentioned it, but Decorating the Tree. For the past two or three years I've missed this event, due to school and other things... Anyway, I love doing it. And I love the decorations from the 70's and the christmas lights that are 15 years old that get too hot to touch (ya not the saftest thing, I know. Maybe se should look into upgrading to LED for the tree this year...) Anyway, when it's all done, it looks that same as it did 15 years ago: Over crowded and tacky. And I love it!

4. Eating. Oh man... If anyone knows me, that's really all I have to say.

5. EggNog... Mmmm... I'm sorry to those that don't agree with me, but eggnog is so delicious. It just makes the holidays complete. And it's kind of special how it's only sold at this time of year. (oh but I found out that they sold it at Thanksgiving this year. I think that's weird, but I don't complain 'cause I like it so much)

6. Oh!! Singing Christmas Carols! This is one thing that makes me the most excited about Christmas. There is a whole set of songs that are only meant for this season, and we only have like two months to sing them!! Ah! I love it! And then I always get sick of them! But then have almost a whole year to get over it! And then start loving them again!! It's a great cycle. Really.

7. Next comes Skating! I really don't do it enough, and almost everytime I do go I dont' do my skates up tight enough and end up with sore ankles... but it's worth it. I love going at night, when it's snowing and on the warmer side (like -10 to -13, without wind chill is perferred)

8. My family always tries to go to a mid-night mass on Christmas Eve. It has just become a kind of tradition, and we usually walk there together... it's just fun. And who ever goes to church at mid-night? This the only time of the year when I do!

9. If I do it early enough, before all the crazy shoppers get out and all hell break loose, Christmas Shopping I do enjoy. I really like buying gifts for other people, it gives me a lot of joy to make someone else happy.

10. The Care-Free Atmosphere I find, almost everywhere I go. It's sometimes hard to see, but if you look closely at people at this time of year, especially close to Christmas, everyone seems to have this light and happy look to them, even though work and school cn be stressful at times. I think it's the hope that comes along with this season. I mean everyone knows that in three weeks, we'll all be relaxed and with the people we love most, mentally preparing ourselves for the New Year (and we all know that hope is new year's sister...) Anyway it's refreshing to see so many light hearted and generous people around.

11. Okay, I realize that this is a little silly, but who doesn't like Recieving Gifts? I mean, other than having your family and friends around and feeling cared about already, a little something special at Christmas time sure does raise the spirits, if you know what I mean!

12. And last, but not least, but something that sometimes goes unoticed (becuase it's so natural) But the whole Romanticism of Christmas. It is probably the most romantified season (well next to Valentine's Day, of course) of all the holidays and seasons of the whole year. Everything from the hot cocoa around the christmas tree, to lights decorating houses, long walks through fluffy falling snow, laughter, singing, and big family meals... it's all just so magical and romantic, don't you think?

So that's what I love about Christmas. It is the most wonderful time of the year.
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