Christmas is Coming!

I love Christmas. I've been very lucky to have fond memories of Christmas, my parents always worked really hard to make them special. 

I find myself doing the same thing. I start shopping around October, searching for just the right gifts to buy or make. I love the decorations, dressing festive, and all the yummy goodies. 

The dichotomy of all of this goodness, while also obviously dealing with the grief of losing my brother around this time of year makes every season just a little bit different. But as we near the actual day, I always manage to pick up steam. 

It helps when packages start arriving at their destinations and are opened. I heard from one dear friend just this morning. They had a small Christmas as a new family (she had her first baby this year!) and didn't want the moment to get lost with all the other family get togethers. 

Hearing her gratitude for gifts specially chosen for her and her family get me really excited for the day I get to spend with my family. 

This year it is with the in-laws and I get to prepare the Christmas ham for Christmas eve dinner. 

I have also received one gift that came via email, and it was very insightful to me. 

My dear friend got me a Barnes & Noble gift card. Which is easily a great choice, I do love me some books and it is hard to know which I have if you aren't me with my library system. 

But in the discussion with her I mentioned I was so excited, I've already started looking at what to get. Her response was incredibly insightful and truth be told, dead on.

"I thought you might enjoy the hunt."

Actually, yes, yes I do.

I also grew up hunting, and while I'm still a good shot, I haven't hunted game in years. Which is a shame in it's own right, I do appreciate fresh meat over processed stuff. But back to the point, I do enjoy the hunt. Searching for how to get the most bang for my buck, narrowing down the options, finding the result that leaves me so highly satisfied...

I do love shopping. Not just for me either. It's compounded when I get to shop for someone else. Finding something that just fits them so well that they didn't even think to put it on their list. Maybe didn't even know it existed. 

There aren't even words to explain how much I love hearing genuine love from others over something I've searched good and hard for. 

I get more excited watching people open their gifts than receiving them. Don't get me wrong, I love receiving gifts! It totally goes both ways. But the anticipation of hoping others love their gifts gets me every time.

So regardless of what holiday you celebrate during this season, I hope you find something that brings you as much joy and satisfaction as a well thought out gift.