Passons Family: Merry Christmas!!

CHRISTMAS- This one word can evoke so many different things, both positive and negative. It could mean family, gifts, shopping, parties, holiday traffic, decorations, stress, debt, gift wrapping, food,music and carols, or a Special Birthday. Even with this list, there are so many more things that could have been said. We are so used to what Christmas is in our American culture, but when you move out it, it is different. There is no Christmas music being played at every store starting at Thanksgiving. Nor is every store decorated in red and green. There are not the parties and gatherings that usually take place, or the gift exchanges. There is definitely not the late night shopping, or last minute runs to get those few stocking stuffers you forgot! Which in turns takes a lot of the stress out! Instead of Christmas being a part of a culture it becomes a day. One day. This was a little hard for me, as I like the shopping and the madness of the holiday! I like store hopping just to make sure that we are stretching our dollar to the fullest! I love having my tree all decorated with the ornaments that the kids have made or that we have given them over the years. I love seeing their wrapped gifts under the tree waiting in anticipation for them to open them! I look forward to the teas and parties! I love the candlelight service on Christmas Eve! I love our Outback Steakhouse dinner that we have made tradition with the family! I love that we always watch a movie, then send the kids to bed, then put out whatever gifts are left, fill stockings, and then talk about what gifts we think they will like best! This is my favorite time of year!

This year was different. It changes the holiday when you have a different view of the day. What happens when a culture doesn't acknowledge this day? What happens when you turn on your tree lights on and a neighbor comments about it? What happens when there are not the gifts to buy or decorations to put up? What happens when almost all of your traditions surrounding the holiday have to be forfeited? Well, you acknowledge the day in the privacy of your house! You realize it might just be better to not have the lights on the tree! You enjoy the gifts that are bought, given, and received! You treasure the memories of past traditions, and you look forward to making new traditions! You change your perspective ultimately! None of these things are what really define Christmas after all! You change your focus from the world's definition of the holiday, to the True meaning. You look at the things that you can not have or do, but you rejoice in Who you have! This year was different! It was a good different!

Just in case you wondered...We celebrated Christmas Eve with a candlelight service with two other sweet families! We were even surprised by carolers as our night was coming to a finish! We had Christmas dinner with about 35 other people! HE knows what we like, and HE cares, even if it is the little things!