The Christmas Spirit

I have been wanted to blog about the spirit of Christmas for awhile, but my friend Judy beat me to it! I too was in a Christmas spirit slump...until the snow arrived! It has been really fantastic around here the last week and a half! In McMinnville it was recorded that we got a record 18 inches of snow. 18 inches! Of course that brings on a host of problems, but that is not my focus for today's blog on this Christmas Eve, today is about the Christmas spirit. The snow canceled 5 days of school in a row, that means we all stayed home...3rd grader and me the teacher. And after 12 years of marriage my husband finally got to stay home around the holidays. Now all of us home had its issues, but for the most part it was wonderful. We got up when we wanted, ate-drank-ate when we wanted, played, watched movies, talked, tickle fights, laughter and fun with the whole family. We did get out and make a snowman, go sledding and of course many snowball fights. The house was trashed, cleaned, trashed and cleaned everyday with snow coats, gloves, mittens, scarves and boots and we actually got into quite a routine. So where is this Christmas spirit I speak of? In the phone calls, emails, texts, blogs and visits from family and friends. I witnessed families eating breakfast together, laughter in the backgrounds, countless photos of kids and snow-snow and kids and some long conversations with my friends and family members I have not talked to in a long time! How many times in a lifetime do we get to be with our families uninterrupted and look out the window at a white-wonderland? The Christmas spirit is alive and well... it just came a little later than usual and brought some unexpected weather with it! So, here I am blogging on Christmas Eve at my mom's house. Candles are lit. Christmas tree is twinkling as my son sleeps under it. Kids are playing. Deer are frolicking in the backyard. (True story.) Now the appetizers are being served and I am getting the look to get off the computer...So Merry Christmas to all and I hope the Christmas spirit finds you and your family well! How does joy find you? How does the light of Christmas reach you?