My Christmas Spirit...

Some years I have struggled in finding my Christmas Spirit, but this year, this week I found it... Before I tell you my Christmas story I am going to give you a little background first... From the time I was a little (as far back as I can remember) my grandparents have always had a Christmas party every year.. We would travel from Vernal every single year to make sure we didn't miss it.. Some times even venturing through snow to make it here. But we did, and just as it was every single year it was so much fun... There was always food, family (cousins, aunts, uncles), friends, sometimes there was Santa but always every single year there was the Christmas Spirit... Well about 5 years or so ago, there were no more Christmas Parties.. I am not sure if it was just getting too expensive or if it was because members of the family were not getting along... Whatever the reason, the parties stopped... It was very sad... I asked my mom a few times why we never had it anymore, and she really couldn't give me a reason, just that it had and there were probably not going to be anymore...

A few months ago we were camping with some family and we all agreed that we loved those parties and wondered why we couldn't still have them... So we decided to do just that. Only we decided we would have one stipulation this year, to surprise my Grandma and Grandpa...The invites were sent out, the meal was planned, everyone was on board and so excited... Saturday was the big day, and we were all going to meet at the church in front of Grandmas house.. My aunt had driven down in her RV and so we all decided to pile in there to drive over there.... I was one of the first into the house as I wanted to capture it on camera, and then our families all came in... One after another hugging Grandma as they came in... Family they haven't seen in years, families who had traveled from far away, all walking in the door... It was at this very moment that I felt that same feeling that I have missed feeling in years past... The Christmas Spirit.. It was back and it was felt by everyone there, I know it was... Feuds were set aside, bridges were mended, love was felt... That is what Christmas should be... Its not about the gifts, or money, it's about family and that unconditional love in your heart you have for them... Having that feeling, that swelling in your heart; that's what Christmas means to me... I know we couldn't have given my grandparents anything that would have equalled that moment... The only thing that could have made it better would have been to have shared it with Nancy & Levi (they were on a cruise :(..I will forever treasure that memory in my heart....

We laughed, we visited, we ate and made memories for my grandparents to treasure forever... It was so fun to visit with and reminisce with cousins, aunts, uncles and old friends... Thanks family for reminding me the true meaning of Christmas...