Remembering the Season

As the temperatures drop, likely steadily till Christmas, we come together and remember.

As you go forward buying gifts, remember not to get all wrapped up in the hustle and bustle. Don't get all tangled up in the best gift or not being able to afford "the" gift for the ones you love. I would like to act as a reminder that you are the best gift you can give your family.We tend to forget how much we mean to those around us and think that we will mean more if our gift is the best gift they get, forgetting that you are already in their lives, therefore they already have the best gift possible.

I have seen people cry because they can't afford gifts for their loved ones, and I too in the past have been guilty of this. But today, please remember that the money you have or don't have will not change a thing. Your loved ones will always love you and cherish the time with you more than 'Blue Sparkle Barbie" or a shiny new watch.

Gifts are fun, I am not ignorant to that, I know I like getting shiny cool gifts too, but if this year has taught me anything it's taught me the time with our loved ones is the only gift that matters in the end. A bit sappy, you may say, and that's okay, I've earned the right to be a little sappy. I can remember the year Natasha wanted this cool pen that worked with paper and transferred onto the computer as you wrote, I thought how cool is that, I bet Ashley would like it too... oops! Ashley opened it with excitement and then faked her best fake smile, pretending to like it. That was 70 dollars I should have donated to the food bank. :) Even still, Ashley had a great Christmas, because we were all together and it eventually turned out to be a big Christmas joke throughout the years. Oh and the year Natasha wanted clothes and I got her all clothes, she actually said "but I don't have anything to play with" (she was 16 lol) Colton was always easy to buy for, wrap an Xbox game and I was a Christmas angel. Of course Zach always wanted cologne and cash, the latter I can't stand to give so I started getting creative by buying quarters and wrapping them in things like a dump truck. It's really the creative gifts that always got their attention, the good food, the movies and the games.

What I really want you to remember this season is the love. The love you have for each other and how precious your time is. Shiny things and electronic gadgets aside, know that no matter what you buy or can afford, the love will always shine the brightest. Don't stress this holiday season, buy what you can while still paying the bills and create memories that will outlive any battery. Remember, once the shiny things are dull, they will still have you.