Christmas 2012...

It is hard to believe that another Christmas is in the books. My Christmas with family was such a precious block of time. I got to spend it with my sweet family, which had a new member this year! My precious niece, Anne Charlotte, is just days away from turning one, and everytime I am around her, I fall even more in love with her. She has the most beautiful blue eyes, and the sweetest smile of any baby I know. Granted I am contractually obligated to say such a thing, and as Aunt JuJu, I am TOTALLY biased, and that is completely okay. She is such a precious gift from God, and to see her this morning just taking in all the technicolor and the wonderment of the holiday...it was sweet. The innocence of a child is so unique, and I am so thankful that I live in the same city to be able to easily see  my little munchkin, and watch her grow and discover. :)

I was so very excited about Christmas this year. Not because I was expecting any one gift, or that I even CARED what I was getting...but, I found really great gifts for all of the good little boys and girls on my list this year, and I always love seeing the looks on people's faces when they open gifts. Having to wait as long as I did was a bit torturous, but well worth the wait, I think. :) Seems like everyone enjoyed their gifts, so I can consider this shopping season a win. Woohoo.

My parents gave me some of the sweetest gifts that encapsulated memories from childhood, and I am such a sentimentalist that of COURSE, I loved everything. One thing that was really cool was an ornament that my mama made. See, when my brother and I were little, we read Charlotte's Web. But, in addition, we used to watch the animated movie a lot. Seriously. I think we wore the out the VHS. But, anyway, my mom cut up some of her/our favorite lines from the book and put them inside this glass ball. By far, one of the coolest ornaments I think I have ever had. :)

Another cool gift? Truman Capote's A Christmas Memory. One of my mom's favorites, that will sure become more and more of a favorite as years go by.

My brother, SIL and Anne Charlotte gave me a Jimmy Stewart movie that I love! Harvey! It's such a sweet story, and I love Jimmy Stewart, anyway. Major win there. :) I also got a book that I have wanted for a long time, but it has been out of print. The Collected Works of Elizabeth I. Might sound boring to you guys, but she is my favorite person in history, so I am THRILLED beyond words. Woohoo, I tell you! Woo-Hoo!

Seven years ago, I celebrated what would be my dad's last Christmas on this side of Eternity. I miss him. But, the fact that he is spending Christmas face-to-face with Jesus, our Immanuel? Fills my heart with such joy.

I also received several phone calls from friends whom I love so dearly as well as a text messages from someone I had not heard from in a while. Such a nice surprise, that made my heart smile, truly.

Through the excitement of the day, the meaning of the holiday was not lost. As it is sung in "Hark! The Harold Angels Sing,"

Hail the heaven-born Prince of Peace!
Hail the Sun of Righteousness!
Light and life to all he brings,
risen with healing in his wings.
Mild he lays his glory by,
born that we no more may die,
born to raise us from the earth,
born to give us second birth.
Hark! the herald angels sing,
"Glory to the new born King!"

It doesn't get much better than that. My brother summed it up nicely on his facebook page, and I will share and close with this:

The significance of celebrating Jesus' birth is more theological than sentimental, and more mysterious than nostalgic. That is, we're not merely wishing the God and Creator of the Universe 'happy birthday', so much as we are rejoicing that he became man for us and our salvation. This mystery is profound, indeed. Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas, indeed. I could not have asked for a better holiday. Thank you, Lord. :)