Christmas

We love Christmas! Christmas brings so much Joy!

I start planning for Christmas early and every time I find a present for my children or my Hubby (which is almost impossible) I am excited and filled with Joy. 

Christmas defined as "the annual festival of the Christian Church commemorating the birth of Jesus: celebrated on December 25 and now generally observed as a legal holiday and, for many, an occasion for exchanging gifts."

I love looking forward to Christmas with my children.  I love when my husband buys our children an Advent Calendar and open it eagerly on 1 December 2020.  I love when my husband organises our Christmas tree with our children, where he carefully takes out all of the ornaments and places them so beautifully on the tree.  These precious moments bring Joy.  And of course I eagerly take photos to record these moments.  And in the taking of photos this also brings me Joy – Joy in the taking of photos and Joy in looking at the photos I have taken and have a feeling of ‘yes’ ‘money shot’!

We are all excited when the elves arrive too and our house is filled with Joy and excitement every morning as my daughter and son search the house for Suzie and Andy. 

I love the excitement of our children, particularly my son who is always counting down the days towards Christmas.

I am Joyful when I buy their Christmas tshirts.  I love when I have organised the children’s outfit for their Santa photo.  I love when my children have their Santa photo and the Joy comes when I look at the photo and am happy that the photographer has captured their smiles and Joy.  It is also Joyful seeing my children talking to Santa, happy and excited and I know that this is the moment that is most important, not me getting the perfect photo. 

I love seeing the flashing of lights at the front of my house, and Joy in the knowing that my husband has made such an effort to bring cheer and colour to our home.  

I love wrapping my children’s presents and organising them.  I am always looking for the ones that they will love, the ones that will bring them Joy. 

I love being on holidays for Christmas and being able to relax and enjoy time with my family.

The day before Christmas the energy and excitement builds and I am as excited as my children. 

Christmas morning is filled with so much Joy.  I absolutely love seeing my children opening their presents and being so happy - and I love capturing the Joy on their faces – capturing it in my mind’s eye and by photos.

I love getting family photos.  Everyone knows that getting the perfect photos brings Joy.  And I am not sure why I strive so hard for perfection in the photos – I know I need to be more relaxed and Joyful when taking photos.  Yet I know that capturing photos does bring me Joy at Christmas, does bring me Joy each day. 

I am grateful to my husband who always surprises me with a beautiful card and such thoughtful presents.  I am always filled with Joy as I open the card my husband has chosen just for me.  And I love the beautifully wrapped presents my husband chooses for me. 

And I love seeing my Mum and Dad and being with my family at Christmas.  Seeing my Mum and Dad and talking to them and just being with them brings me Joy. 

I love sitting down with my family eating a feast and drinking a glass of champagne or wine. 

And then sadly Christmas is over. 

Yet the Christmas tree in our lounge room remains and in the quiet I hold onto the Joy of the Christmas Season and the Joy I have shared with the ones I love and the ones who love me.