Tis the Season

This is an excerpt from a letter I wrote this week:

A few days ago we decorated my apartment for Christmas. Yes, I know other people might say it’s too early but in my opinion after Halloween is over bring on the holidays and the decorations. We put up lights in the window, a nativity set, little signs and decorated our tree. Then we read a children’s book called Ellen’s Christmas Dress. It got me so excited for Christmas. I know everyone loves Christmas but I REALLY love Christmas. I cried when we read the book because of the spirit that I feel at this time. I love how service-oriented I feel during the holidays. I feel like I’m my best self during these few months. I’m more focused on Christ, on his birth, his atonement and his attributes. I feel that we grow to love each other during these months and I really come to realize every year what a big role Christ plays in my life. The joy that abounds during the holidays has to be a little taste of what heaven feels like. So here are my 3 favorite Christmas traditions in no particular order:

1. Reading Grandpa, Me & The Wishing Star on Christmas Eve at my grandma’s house with all my extended family. My grandpa died when I was young but I remember him very well. The story is about a little boy who spends all his Christmases with his Grandfather, he calls him his best boy. Then he dies and the little boy feels sad and angry. Heavenly Father helps him feel peace by looking up at the star that he and his grandpa used to wish on. He tucks himself in to bed, looks out the window to see the star and feels someone whisper to him “Who’s my best boy?” and he says I am. It’s supposed to be a metaphor for the Star that appeared the night of the Savior’s birth and how each one of us are his “best boy.” I cry every single year. It makes me miss my Grandpa but know he is serving on the other side and I’m still his little Angel Eyes.

2. My mom’s book tree. So in my house we have 3 different trees- the family tree with all our ornaments (the pretty one), my dad’s golf tree, and the book tree. The book tree is always in the kitchen and it has colored lights on it. My mom has over 30 children’s Christmas books that she wraps each year. Every night from thanksgiving until the end of December we open one of the books. My mom makes us hot chocolate, we turn on the fireplace and she reads to us. I know this makes me sound super childish but I LOVE this tradition. I feel safe, happy and protected during these times and all the books remind me of the true Christmas spirit. This is a tradition I will definitely be doing in my family. I already do it at my apartment.

3. The angel tree at PG. It hasn’t always been there but I absolutely love doing angel tree or sub for santa. I think one of the most sacred experiences you can have is providing God’s children with things they wouldn’t have otherwise. It means you are acting in the name of the Savior just as you are with the ultimate gift of the gospel. Last year in our ward when we went to deliver gifts to a family the oldest son was there. All he was getting was a coat and a few toys. He cried and told us that he knew miracles still happened and we had delivered a miracle to his family that day. This year our apartment is going to adopt a child and I’m so excited to see the look on her mother’s face when we deliver the gift.