Finally the Christmas spirit found me!

One of my jobs at Lighthouse is to manage the Holiday program. It entails four months of interviewing clients,doing lots of paperwork, asking for donations (lots of donations), and troubleshooting odd problems all in hopes that about 500 families, 300 singles and another 100 kids "have Christmas." It ends with a bang as we spend 10 days managing the logistics of receiving and distributing thousands and thousands of gifts. It's the kind of experience that's supposed to make you think about how lucky you are and remind you to be thankful for everyone and everything in your life. Usually it does.

This is my third year managing the prograam and sadly I must admit, the massive nature of the project makes December feel more like a month to "get through" than a lesson in perspective. It's a classic case of not seeing the forest for the trees; I am well aware of that. Still, as such, I have not been in the mood for Christmas at all. I've been crabby with just about everyone. The tree's not up yet, no cookies have been made, shopping is barely started. Heck, if my siblings and I hadn't decided to "pick names" this year rather than shop for everyone I'd be a frantic last-minute-stressball. (oh wait, I already admitted I was that anyways)

Well, I'm happy to say the Christmas spirit finally found it's way to me tonight. It wasn't my work that brought it to me. It wasn't watching Rudolph on TV. It wasn't the cool light displays featured in the Sunday paper (that I finally got to read just tonight.) What did it to me were these words...

"Oh you better watch out, you better not cry, you better not pout I'm telling you why, Santa Clause is coming to town."

Kyle has the entire song memorized (well, as much of the song as I know) and Jeremy is awfully close to knowing it all too. Alex taught it to them today. Not "he's been teaching them for a couple weeks", or anything - just today. They boys were singing it in the car at the top of their lungs. So excited and so proud of themselves. Finally the hustle and bustle made a little sense again. All the shopping, the decorating, the baking and the extra to dos, sounded like fun again. I remembered that I wasn't working to give the kids of my clients clothes or toys; I was working to give those parents the ability to provide holiday magic. Isn't that what we all want to give our kids? It's not about the toys, it's about the traditions.

I am reminded that the "grind" part of daily life will always be there and it can take over if you let it. I think it's time to stop the grind for a while to make room for some traditions. Hopefully this means you'll see some photos of the kids cookie baking and tree trimming soon.

Wishing You Six Merry Days Until Christmas!!!