What is the magic of Christmas?

For the last few weeks now my partner and I have been watching Christmas shows. It is a refreshing change to watch shows that make us feel warm and happy inside. Most of these shows have a similar theme of being happy, shopping for that perfect tree, being with family and giving to those we love, as well as finding true love.

Some might say these shows are predictable, always with a happy ending where everything always works out for the best. Isn't that how we want our lives to be? Where everything is always going well and there is always a happy ending? Of course it is!

The most important part of the "MAGIC" of Christmas is the belief in a higher power. It is a feeling of happiness and joy that sets in as we think about gathering together in celebration of the birth of Jesus. It is a feeling of joy we have as we shop for that special gift for our friends and family members. It is the excitement of seeing the lights and ornaments on the Christmas tree. It is also the anticipation of watching each other open presents on Christmas Eve as we gather together and play with the children. We look forward to seeing all of our family again, as some live far away and are only seen once or twice a year. We look forward to the smell of turkey as its fragrance fills the house. We anticipate the taste of that turkey as it mixes with mashed potatoes and gravy, cranberry sauce, vegetables, buns and butter, and a piece of pumpkin pie for dessert! Mmmmm, I am salivating already!

This is some of the magic we experience at Christmas time, but there is more to it than that. There seems to be a sense of lightness and cheerfulness that fills the air. People seem to be happier and friendlier. There seems to be more giving of oneself in open acts of kindness towards our fellow neighbors. We tend to want to give more, whether in donation of money, toys for tots, or donation of our time. We think outside of our regular routine and include more things that make us feel good inside. Perhaps we go ice skating with our children because that is what we remember our parents did with us. Perhaps we make time to bake gingerbread cookies with our kids because it is a family tradition. There are work Christmas parties and friend's house parties to attend that bring us joy and camaraderie. Our children and grandchildren put on a Christmas concert at school that we love to attend and are proud of their participation. We may send Christmas cards in the mail to our friends and family that are far away, sharing with them the events of the past year.

The month of December has a unique air about it, with the spirit of Christmas touching our hearts in many different ways. This feeling that we have, that is so special as we make notable changes to routine and incorporate more joy, is the feeling that we need to keep with us all year round. This MAGIC can be in each and every one of us if we would just choose every day to keep the feeling of magic in our hearts. If every day we made a conscious choice to be friendly to our neighbors, give gifts just for the sake of giving, donate our time and money to those less fortunate, take time to bake with the children of our family, say kind words that build each other up, watch shows that have a positive story, make new memories, and celebrate our children and grandchildren, the world would be a much better and brighter place to live.

I challenge each one of you to KEEP THE MAGIC IN YOUR HEART! Make every day a special day and tell the ones you love how important they are to you. Life is short and we have to make it our heaven on earth now. With all this glory, peace and joy that fills our hearts in December, at Christmas time, make a point of keeping this feeling with you at all times. When you feel angry, remember Christmas. When you fell sad, remember how you feel with your loved ones around the dinner table. When you feel hurt, remember to find forgiveness and to be happy. It is up to each of us to keep this feeling alive, each and every day. Keep Christ in your heart and in your lives and you will see your world change.

Merry Christmas and happy holidays. I celebrate the perfect imperfection of all of you! You are all shining lights in a world that needs more light! So please, take time to celebrate who you are, and then celebrate the glory of others. You will forever change the world as we know it. Thank you for making the world a better place just for being you!