The Christmas Spirit

The Christmas Spirit

When we keep the spirit of Christmas, we keep the Spirit of Christ...It is His example which, if followed, stirs within us more kindness and love, more respect and concern for others.-- President Thomas S. Monson

This Christmas season has been stressful. It seemed to come on quickly and found me unprepared. While I have experienced beautiful moments, I have also experienced "grinchy" moments and have felt that Christmas was something to "get through" rather than truly enjoy. I am grateful for the fine examples of my children who continually teach me how to be a better person...more kind...more loving...more thoughtful...more generous.

Yesterday I was shown what the Christmas Spirit truly is by three sweet kids. Yesterday morning Ailey excitedly showed me a whole big stack of Christmas cards that she had made for every single kid in her class. In each card she wrote something that she liked about each child. They were all different and all sweet. Then she signed them from "Ailey and Emily" even though Ailey made all of the cards because "They can be from both of us!!"

Then shortly after that I found Kam rummaging for change. His middle school is doing a Candy-Gram fundraiser. For a dollar you can send a candy-gram to a friend and all of them will be delivered on Friday.  Kameron had already purchased candy-grams for his friends but yesterday he wanted to make sure that all the boys in his deacons quorum received a candy-gram on Friday...especially those "who probably won't get one from someone else." Then he and his best friend volunteered to help his band teacher send a candy-gram to all the kids in band. He said, "It would feel awful not to get a candy-gram on Friday."

Yesterday afternoon Reilly ran upstairs with a piano book of Christmas music under her arm and asked me to take her to work an hour and a half before she was scheduled to be there. Why? I asked. "Because I want to play some Christmas music for the little old folks. I think they will really like it." (They did.)

Maybe Christmas...doesn’t come from a store....

Maybe Christmas … perhaps … means a little bit more!”--Dr. Suess