Tis' the Season

I love listening to Christmas music.  It really gets me in the mood for the holidays, especially when there is so much going on around me, that makes it hard to be in the mood.  Regardless of how I'm feeling personally, THIS IS MY favorite holiday! I remember days gone by of being a little girl and waiting with anticipation for the special day to arrive.

There were times when it seems as if my parents wouldn't pull it off (Christmas morning with gifts) but somehow, they always did.  As children, there were six of us (and there still are Thank God!) though my oldest brother lived with uncles and aunts in the country, the five of us who lived with our parents were always very happy when daddy came home with presents for each of us.  Not just gifts, lots of candies and balloons too!  In Jamaica one of our favorite things were to try the "Chance Balloon" where you pay the vendor, pick a number and had the chance to pick a very large super-sized special balloon, or a small not so special one!

Even the times when we shared our presents with each other, those were such special times to me.  It makes me miss my parents who have passed on, and my siblings who don't live anywhere near me.  These are the times when I wish we could all be in the same place again!

Over the years, I have tried to have traditions for my children to follow.  Truthfully, the traditions were more special to them when they were much younger.  Now that they are older, they don't seem to care too much for the tradition passed down to them over the years.  That sometimes makes me sad.  They are now more involved in other's traditions and also in the "spendthrifting" of Christmas, being more concerned in what they will sometimes "not" be receiving, or being able to do; to remember that there is more to Christmas than toys and electronics.  I'm not giving up on them though, plus I have a grandson to instill traditions in as well (fingers crossed!)!  I'll remind them once again, as I have done through the years, why we do celebrate this wonderful Season and what it really means!

I hope that this Christmas holiday will be very special for each of you dear reader.  The times are not what it once was, but we can still hold on to those memories that makes it very special for us, as we continue to make newer ones!

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