My Favorite Things

Christmas has always been my favorite time of year and it begins the Day after Thanksgiving. That is the day that I pull everything from storage, organize, make a game plan and get ready for the Saturday after Thanksgiving decorating. Back in the old days, I always had a pajama party for all of my friends. Guests would come in their pajamas, bring a snack and favorite drink and help ME decorate my Christmas tree. The pajama part was just fun... and comfy! After a little too much to drink, everyone was already in their night clothes when they returned home after the party. These were the years when THE tiara made an appearance and everyone knew that I wore mine while decorating the Christmas tree... I have never been a beauty queen, I quit pageants when I was very young, but each year at the pajama party while everyone else was wearing a Santa Hat, I wore a tiara... just for fun....

I kept the tradition up even after those fun parties with friends. I remember one Christmas when I was single and poor as a boot... I pulled out the decorations, organized, put on my tiara and got to work... to my dismay there were several strands of lights that were not working on my tree and one of my best friends walked in to find me in the floor covered in lights, tiara askew and crying... I had NO money to buy new lights and I had to find the ones that did not work and replace the bulbs... after lots of looking, a few too many tears at being single and alone for Christmas, we managed to get them working. Being the amazing friend that she is, she patiently handed me each ornament so that I could place them on my tree because she knew that I would take them all off and redo the tree if anyone else helped... I just had to have it a certain way... that was the first year in a long time that I only decorated the tree once, normally I let my guests decorate it and then I redid it the next day.

I didn't wear a tiara this year, although I did buy Keira one so that she could wear it and decorate the tree. We have 7 or 8 trees in the house, so we all got to decorate our own... the kids tree is ridiculously weighted with ornaments that are too heavy because they haven't quite mastered spacing, one tree is without lights but holds all of our Christmas cards from friends and family, one is my Santa tree with Santas collected from my adult life, one is a Chef tree in the kitchen, we have a girly tree in the front spare room and a really beautiful gold, silver and blue tree in the main room. We also decorated a tree in silver with butterflies for Zoe Jane.

I miss cherishing my favorite things. I have been too sad to experience them this season, but tonight I thought that I would list them and experience them in a new way...

Homemade wreaths with berries
Hot chocolate with too many marshmallows
Love Actually
Christmas books by Richard Paul Evans
Cheesy Hallmark Movies (and commercials)
That one Folgers commercial where the son comes home for the holidays.
Getting tired of Christmas songs but listening anyway because they will be gone soon.
Hand made Christmas gifts
Family memories
A Christmas Carol (George C. Scott version)
Stocking Stuffers
Believing in Santa
Angel Trees, Toys for Tots, all of the people who do a lot of good...
The bell ringers that actually sing Christmas Carols
People saying Merry Christmas... it just doesn't happen that often these days...
Fruitcake (But only my Mom's)
When it smells like snow outside
Fuzzy socks
Remembering the best gift from childhood
Nostalgia
Pretty wrapping paper and bows
Knowing that even if you can't buy everyone something, even a little homemade gift will do.
Christmas Dinner
Being excited For Santa on Christmas Eve, even though I am now Santa....
Warm blankets and a good book
Losing the light of day way too early and getting to bed at a decent hour
Rudolph Claymation
Remembering all of the loved ones that have passed and just how special it was to see them during the holidays.
Wishing that all children receive gifts and have a nice, warm home with loving parents.

I could go on and on about the things that I love, but you would soon tire of reading them. I do love sitting in my living room on the sofa in the dark with just the light of the tree to illuminate the room. No matter the tree, the room or the year... just that single moment of looking at the tree fills my heart with happiness. I think that white twinkle lights should be on something all year long just so that happiness stays alive. 

I sure miss my little girl and I wanted so much to share the favorite things with her. Instead I have shared them with you and I know that by just thinking on my favorite things it helps to heal my heart from the brokenness.

Remember to make memories, store them in your mind to bring out year after year... and don't forget to wear that tiara... it makes putting up the tree just a little more special.