A lovely Christmas at Home

Our Christmas this year was different.  It fell right smack-down-dab in the middle of a family tragedy.  We lost Trev's dad on Sunday. I got sick on Tuesday - Christmas Eve. Christmas came on Wednesday.  The funeral was Friday.  What a week.

Through the heartache I didn't think any of us would be in the celebrating-type mood.

But then something magical happened.  

Let me back up for a minute.  Leading up to this Christmas, I felt a strong impression to make our holiday more centered on Jesus Christ.  

The impression came in mid-November and was steadily increasing in strength. But the thing that really tipped me over the edge to follow this prompting was the new, all-the-rage, tradition of "Elf on the Shelf."

For those who don't know, this "Elf on the Shelf" is a tiny doll that you buy with a coordinating book (for $30 mind you!) and you are supposed to place him in random spots throughout your house and he "watches" your munchkins to see if they are being naughty or nice.  Each night he "flies" back to the North Pole to report to Santa.  The next day, he is in another spot.  "Watching."  "Recording."  

The kids think it is great!  Some people even have more than one!  Some have one elf for each of their children!  Who they MOVE EACH NIGHT!!!

I can feel my blood pressure rising just writing about this a full month later!

I mean seriously, do we parents NOT have ENOUGH to do and think about this time of the year???  

I would love an "elf" to come clean my house, or make meals, or how about work on my Christmas cards that I never got around to sending this year??  

Which would have had this picture on them by the way.

But no, instead we have yet another "thing" to do EACH DAY whose sole purpose is to further focus our children on Santa at Christmas time.  As if he needs public relations.

Now don't get me wrong...I am ALL for other's doing their own cool things within their families to make big events special.  Family traditions are wonderful and bonding!  Which is why I have always thought the elf-thing was silly and not for me, but have never complained about it before.  But each year, I see more and more families jumping on the elf bandwagon and more and more children are sharing all the "fun", "silly", "naughty", etc. things that their elves are doing in their houses at school...which makes my kids feel shafted that no elves visit here.

By the way, I would also like to "thank" all you mothers out there who have leprechauns play tricks on your house and kids each St. Patrick's day...really???  Do we need more mystical visitors???  

I am already probably the worst Tooth Fairy in the business. 

In full disclosure, I have actually joined in on the leprechauns.  How can you not when your kids come home from school LOOKING for what tricks THEIR leprechauns have played on them???

But really, what's next?  The ghost of Uncle Sam on 4th of July? Betsy Ross on Flag Day? Cleaning fairies for moms on Mother's Day??  Now, THAT I could get behind! :)

I just don't understand why we need to further complicate our holidays.  Why can't they be simple and meaningful instead?  Does that make them less fun?  I don't think so.  At least my kids have never said anything to that effect.

Wow...that felt good to get it all out. :)

Please don't misunderstand, I am not trying to say that others can't or shouldn't do their own special things at Christmas time.  I know that just because other's do it, doesn't mean we need to.  I just needed it to be understood how my feelings about changing my family's focus THIS particular Christmas became stronger and stronger.

So instead of buying an "elf", I bought this:

And we did more of this:

Which turned out to be a far better investment in my book.  There were no elves watching our house, but somehow Christmas came.  It came just the same.

We stayed home, held our family close, had extended family here - and felt the strength, support, and love from friends and family that we would need during this particularly difficult moment in time.  

So many angels surrounded us, bearing us up during our storm.  I will forever be grateful to all those who left their families and celebrations during this time to serve ours.  They showed me what it really means to mourn with those who mourn, comfort those who stand in need of comfort.  This brought far greater joy and solace to our hearts than anything else could.  To those angels who brought us glad tidings - thank you.  So much.  Truly. 

This is how the special holiday looked in our house.  I told you a magical thing happened.  We celebrated.  At least for a moment the sadness of loss subsided a bit and our hearts were filled with the richness that only Christmas Eve and day can bring.

This quote was posted up on our monthly theme board all December long.

"Then the grinch thought of something he hadn't before!  "Maybe Christmas," he thought, "doesn't come from a store.  Maybe Christmas...perhaps...means a little bit more."
                      -Dr. Seuss

As Christmas approached, I realized exactly WHY I had such strong impressions about where MY family's focus should be this year.  It was because when we lost someone so dear to us, so suddenly, we needed to be reminded to look to our Savior.  We needed the healing and help His miraculous birth, life, and Atonement could bring.

We needed a Christ-centered Christmas.

We celebrate Christmas for Christ.  This Christmas reminded me to look to Him all year round.  Seasons of happy's and sad's come to us all.  But true peace, comfort, and joy come through Him.

Perhaps next year I won't be as hostile about the elves on shelves.  And I feel bad that they were my "last straw."  Please know that I am not trying to judge others and their traditions!  I love anything that families can do to bring them closer, and if that involved elves for ours, I would do it too.

But I am grateful I followed the promptings I did because for MY family, we needed it.  Especially this year.

Our spirits needed it.  

We needed it.

We need Him.  Still.  Always.

How grateful I am for a Christmas that reaffirmed that.