Thank you Patsy for an early Christmas Gift!

Make Room for Small Reflections

Patsy from Ramblings from While You're Up received this Christmas Spirit award from Hootin' Anni and named ME as one of her recipients.

Here are the rules for the Christmas award.
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You must be a true Christmas lover to receive this award. The person to whom you give the award must also be in love with Christmas. You must link back to the person who gave you the award. You must list 5 things that you love about Christmas. If you can't limit it to 5 things, then keep going till you run out of space! Pass the award along to as many people as you like. That can be 1 or 50. It's up to you! But, you must pass it on to at least one person in order to keep the Christmas cheer going! Let your recipients know that you have tagged them by leaving them a comment.

Things I Love About Christmas

1. Holiday Music - I love to listen, hum, and sing along with Christmas Carols & holiday songs throughout the season (and often a while afterward too) . I attended a Christmas Concert this Saturday at the Carpenter Center in Long Beach and wrote about it briefly for #13 in my sidebar gratitude list for December. I've also shared a variety of seasonal music on all 4 of my blogs.

2. Remembering the reason for the season ... celebrating the birth of the Christ child ... reading the New Testament accounts in the Bible and reflecting on the life & teachings of Jesus ... considering how these lessons can inform my decisions and actions in the coming year.

3. Creating original cards to send to friends & family with personal notes ... reconnecting by telephone with those too far away to visit face to face .

4. Gathering with family & friends in festive dinners, parties, and events ... catching up with those I've not seen for a while and enjoying interactions with all & savoring delightful holiday foods like pumpkin pie & mince meat tarts, sugar cookies, egg nog, turkey with dressing & cranberries, sweet potatoes, and other tasty dishes.

5. Watching holiday films & television specials (both old and new) that remind me of Christmas past ... with loved ones who have passed on & no longer walk the earth with us.

6. Attending Choral Programs and Candlelight Services at church.

7. Viewing holiday lights & displays around the neighborhoods ... shipboard cruises of lights in Huntington Harbour and Newport ... listening to carolers sing outside (remembering how I used to BE one of those who went caroling each year & realizing what a wonderful gift such musical encounters can be for everyone).

8. Reading by the fireplace and watching the rain fall as I read holiday stories.

9. Sharing Christmas things on my blogs and seeing what others share on theirs. Keeping a gratitude list in my sidebar by adding one thing each day. Receiving and sharing awards like this one with others ... therefore I bequeath this Christmas Spirit Award to all who believe in and exhibit the Spirit of Christmas in this virtual world and the real one too. Please leave me a comment and a link to your blog so I can visit to read YOUR list when you share.

Hot Update from the North Pole

NORAD has learned that the closing ceremonies for the Reindeer Games have taken place at the North Pole. More than 48 reindeer participated this year. Challenges included take-off speed, freestyle sky-dancing, synchronized touch-and-go, and hoof patty-cake for the fawns.

Small Reflections ... Smile Back
Click for more awards to snag, enjoy, & share
The Lemonade Award
Fabulous Blog Award
Friendship Award
Blog L♥ve Award

Thought for Today
"Blessed is the season which engages the whole world in a conspiracy of love!" Hamilton Wright Mabie

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