{Little Things to Treasure at Christmas}

(in no particular order!)

1. Finding special little gifts for the people on my list.
2. Trying to find that special little Christmas dress for Ella.
3. Cookie Swaps with good friends.
4. Reading Christmas stories.
5. Wishing for snow.
6. The effort to get a traditional family Christmas photo.
7. The smell of hot cider in the air.
8. Listening to Christmas music the whole month of December.
9. Watching a Christmas movie all piled up in bed together.
10. Candlelight Christmas eve services and all the beautiful music.
11. Christmas lights shining at night on neighborhood houses.
12. Getting out the decorations and all the special memories.
13. Thinking about the first Christmas and how Mary felt carrying baby Jesus.
14. The days after Christmas when the rush is over and family can all relax together.
15. All the ornaments that my grandmother made hanging on my tree.
16. Baking cookies with the kids and eating them. The cookies, I mean.
17. Getting Christmas photos from friends.
18. Christmas morning and opening stockings.
19. Realizing how very blessed we are and helping others to have a merrier Christmas.
20. The few days before the holiday when I am overcome with emotion for what happened that first Christmas.