It's hard to believe Christmas of 2014 is already over. I barely had a chance to enjoy it and now it's only a memory.
What made this Christmas different from other years can be said with two words: "The flu." Those words would shape a typical Christmas into something I could only imagine.
Every year my sister and I throw our annual Christmas Eve celebration at our home. Getting prepared for the party is as special as the actual gathering. Cleaning the house, grocery shopping, recipe's to prepare, and all those last minute errands. The hectic hustling and bustling is a big part of the charm that gets me in the Christmas spirit every year. How is it then that I missed all of these ritualistic traditions, but still found the magic of the season?
Once I accepted I had the flu and it wasn't going away soon, I tried to make peace with it. I begrudgingly announced to my sister and her two teenage kids that I was in no shape to help prepare for the holiday festivities. The kids would have to step up and help their mom with the party while I recuperated up in my bedroom. I secretly wondered if the party would be successful without my help.
The day of the Christmas Eve party came, and with it, one more glitch. Now my nephew was down with the flu. We went from four helpers down to two. It was now up to my sister and niece to make the annual Christmas party a reality.
I am so proud of how hard 'mother and daughter' worked to make the holiday gathering a success. Not only did they keep things running smoothly at the party, they made sure to make trips upstairs to check on the two patients. They thoughtfully brought us up a plate of goodies from the table and filled us in on the wonderful memories being made.
A couple hours into the party, a touching thing happened: my nephew and I heard some rustling outside the door. Soon we would experience the true meaning of Christmas. The beautiful voices of our family began singing "Silent Night" and "I wish you a merry Christmas."
Blessings to you and yours-Christmas 2014
