2024 Christmas.

I have to be straight with you- I felt little to nothing this year for Christmas, and I have a few guesses on this one. Yes, I unpacked the Christmas tree I meant to decorate, it stood, in the dining room, bare. Never made it and I promptly packed it back up today and it went back in the attic. Wreaths? Yep, had 2 amazing ones, one for the side door, one for the front door – never left the box.

I had every intention of unpacking the Mr. and Mrs. Clause on a spring while also placing the solitary candelabra lights in every window. Yet, my house remained one of the few that did not have a single Christmas decoration up for the whole season. So it is easy to say, I was not feeling the Christmas holiday at all- when it came to me, myself and I.

And yet – I do not say this for any reason except for noting, that is not me at all – in fact, I relish the whole Christmas and season aspect- LOVE it – but this year, Christmas regarding the holiday just disappeared from my personal portfolio. Why was that?

What I DID notice was this – I thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to share a day of holiday celebration making scarves, cards, and more with Upward Bound students and staff.

it was awesome. It felt good. I loved catching the film Red One. I was THRILLED to be able to celebrate an amazing Cross Country Season with an amazing group of athletes, parents, and volunteers.

I perhaps had THE BEST opportunity to see how Santa, families, and an authentic, intimate experience was spent at Hopkins Brothers Produce- that blog post is coming- you will LOVE IT. It was the epitome of Christmas.

And Deck the Halls, at our Woodbridge High School was AMAZING- the whole day had food galore, cookies, hot chocolate, popcorn, decorations, music, making decorations, window and door fronts decorated, the WHOLE thing as much as you could imagine.

We celebrated with the Girls on the Run team from Phillis Wheatley from the event we had participated in at Del Tech in Dover the weekend before and involving our XC (Cross Country team)- it was magical.

Received an amazing postcard from a former WHS student from the past year as she found herself studying in Morocco.

Was able to meet up with 2 amazing WHS Class of 2020 alumni from their work/Law School/Environmental on the job experiences at Panera.

Students gave gifts that were unexpected but amazing- from the BEST baked gifts to crazy library themed socks, to ornaments /cards from the PBS team, a super comfortable throw, cards from our District, Green screen background.

Participating in the Christmas Cookie contest at our school and come back with a box of over 30 cookies for my family’s get together.

Was able to do our annual family get together outside of D.C. AND talk to family and friends on the phone over the holidays.

Managed to be on the last night with Santa at Merry Lane with the NRWC volunteers and DE State Young Environmentalist of the Year, Melisa Velasquez and worked through MILES of vehicles that night (the 22nd!).

Set up the illuminated lights for our neighborhood and with help from neighbors lit in time for Christmas night,

AND somehow managed to get all gifts bought AND wrapped in the NICK (sorry) of time- and yet-

I was a little pushed out knowing I came home and NADA- everything else outside of my home was holiday and yet…

…it hit me. I was setting a standard of how I thought the holiday, for me, should be considered a true Christmas. Yet, Christmas had come to me in so many ways, already, but not the way I thought it would – and I had not realized it as I was just trying to set all in a framework of what I had thought Christmas should look/ feel like. Thanks to all the above AND MORE- Christmas had indeed come for me in more ways than I deserved and at times I was too busy to notice- HOW COMMON IS THAT? I was blessed and given so many Christmas opportunities and if I was testing my whole premise on my own Christmas being represented from my house alone, I would have missed the whole realization.

Therein lies alot of situational parallels where we need to widen our frame of reference to see from varying points of view, and not be simply willing to be restricted to a narrow point of view which is ours alone. A GREAT Christmas was happening when I came to realize and relished all the gifts along the way I might be already receiving. Sounds like a good way to move into a New Year. While many, including myself, could list off all the things they dread, might dread, or not look forward to in a new year, we would be better for allowing ourselves to be thankful and be mindful that, the things we already have on our side will make it a GREAT year, no matter the challenges and obstacles, if we are resolute in recognizing the blessings we already have.