Christmas here, there, everywhere

I absolutely LOVE this time of year. The day after Thanksgiving is when I get into "Go" mode. I love all things Christmas. I love the songs, I love the smells, I love the lights, I love the presents all beautifully wrapped, I loved the Christmas cards, I love the decorations, I love anything and everything peppermint flavored, I love the red cups from Starbucks, I just love everything about this time of year.

It really is the most wonderful time of year. This year is the first year ever in my entire life that I am living alone at Christmas. I've always lived with family or roommates. So needless to say, I was giddy as a school kid a few weeks ago when it came time to decorate. I could hardly contain myself as I opened up my storage big and took a big whiff of the peppermint satchels and cinnamon pine cones. I got the Christmas music going, brewed myself a pot of coffee (So I can use some Peppermint Mocha creamer, of course.)

Christmas is also about traditions. After my grandma passed, a lot of our family traditions got lost over the years. So, I started making my own traditions. Every year I purchase an ornament (or two) to add to my tree. For the longest time, I've also made goodies for my neighbors. Even if I don't know them, they will get goodies. It feels good delivering things to them. Last year, I got the notion to buy pajamas to wear on Christmas Eve and this year I've decided to carry that tradition on. There are many traditions I would like to incorporate, but it will probably need to wait till I have a family of my own.

Most importantly, Christmas is about celebrating Jesus' birth. Since becoming a Christian, I've fallen in love more and more with Christmas every year because of my faith. I love sitting in church listening to the people sing Silent Night. It brings a tear to eyes every time. I love getting up early in the morning to read the real Christmas story in Luke. Christmas is always a reflective time of how far I've come this year and how God brought me through it all.

Here are some pictures showing Christmas en mi casa, starting off with my grandmother's nativity scene. My aunt has has this for about 10 years now and I just got it back from her. This nativity brings back so many memories of my childhood. It has now become my most treasured possession.

I have a small obsession with Snowmen. :)

My grandma loved this crazy moose. Every Christmas she played it over and over again.

This is my favorite ornament.

South Africa will never leave my heart.

My stocking from when I was little. :)