My favorite Christmas song is Alan Jackson's "Let It Be Christmas". This song tells of the Christmas season exactly how it is for me....it's a season of joy and happiness and people coming together. I love the material parts of Christmas for sure...the lights, the ornaments, cookies, wrapping paper, etc....but nothing compares to the feeling of the season and the way the world seems to glow and radiate with love and happiness. I only wish this feeling were alive all year long, but then I suppose it wouldn't feel as special in December.
Each year I try to do something nice for a charity/family or two in December, the "giving season". Last year I bought a couple of winter coats, hats and mittens for a family in my town that was sending their young girls to school without them due to low income. I also dropped off a couple bags of things to the Ronald McDonald house. I included Rylee in shopping for and dropping off these items and explained to her why we were doing it. I want her to realize that there is more to Christmas than presents from Santa.
I've been searching for charity/giving things to do this holiday season with Rylee and when I heard the story of the dying 6 year old girl in Utah who wants homemade greeting cards for Christmas, I knew this was exactly the kind of thing that would strike a chord with Rylee. I showed her the little girl's picture and told her that she was very sick and asked Rylee if she wanted to make her a card. Of course Rylee said "yes", but then she asked me, with sad eyes, if the little girl would get any Christmas presents this year. I loved where her heart was at. Rylee immediately got her craft box out and started to make a beautiful card for the little girl, complete with...oh...100 stickers on it ;) But what I loved the most is what she asked to do next. She wanted to wrap the card in wrapping paper and put a bow on it so the little girl would have something to unwrap :) I really wanted to fight the bow issue as it would make the envelope bulky, but I just had to let that one go after Rylee said, "now it is so beautiful and looks like a real present." I love her heart!
To celebrate the "material" spirit of the season, James and I are taking Rylee on a date tonight to see Christmas lights and anything else "Christmasy" she wants to do. This date might be a little for me too, but Rylee is long overdue for a date with Mommy and Daddy! We will surely be listening to Christmas music all night too!
If you haven't heard "Let It Be Christmas" yet this year (or ever), here is a link to the song and below that is the lyrics.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a4YBHZ5Y7ZI
"Let It Be Christmas"
Let it be Christmas everywhere
In the hearts of all people
Both near and afar
Christmas everywhere
Feel the love of the season where ever you are
On the small country roads
Lined with green mistletoe
Big city streets where a thousand lights glow
Let it be Christmas everywhere
Let heavenly music fill the air
Let every heart sing
Let every bell ring
The story of hope and joy and peace
And let it be Christmas everywhere
Let heavenly music fill the air
Let anger and fear and hate disappear
Let there be love that lasts through the year
And let it be Christmas, Christmas everywhere
Let it be Christmas everywhere
With the gold and the silver, the green and the red
Christmas everywhere
In the smiles of all children asleep in their beds
In the eyes of young babies
Their first fallen snow
The elderly's memories that never grow old
Let it be Christmas everywhere
Let heavenly music fill the air
Let every heart sing
Let every bell ring
The story of hope and joy and peace
And let it be Christmas everywhere
Let heavenly music fill the air
Let anger and fear and hate disappear
Let there be love that lasts through the year
And let it be Christmas, Christmas everywhere
Let it be Christmas everywhere
In the songs that we sing
And the gifts that we bring
Christmas everywhere
In what this day means
And what we believe
From the sandy white beaches
Where blue water rolls
Snow covered mountains and valleys below
Let it be Christmas everywhere
Let heavenly music fill the air
Let every heart sing
Let every bell ring
The story of hope and joy and peace
And let it be Christmas everywhere
Let heavenly music fill the air
Let anger and fear and hate disappear
Let there be love that lasts through the year
And let it be Christmas, Christmas everywhere
Christmas everywhere
Christmas everywhere
In the hearts of all people
Both near and afar
Christmas everywhere
Feel the love of the season where ever you are
On the small country roads
Lined with green mistletoe
Big city streets where a thousand lights glow
Let it be Christmas everywhere
Let heavenly music fill the air
Let every heart sing
Let every bell ring
The story of hope and joy and peace
And let it be Christmas everywhere
Let heavenly music fill the air
Let anger and fear and hate disappear
Let there be love that lasts through the year
And let it be Christmas, Christmas everywhere
Let it be Christmas everywhere
With the gold and the silver, the green and the red
Christmas everywhere
In the smiles of all children asleep in their beds
In the eyes of young babies
Their first fallen snow
The elderly's memories that never grow old
Let it be Christmas everywhere
Let heavenly music fill the air
Let every heart sing
Let every bell ring
The story of hope and joy and peace
And let it be Christmas everywhere
Let heavenly music fill the air
Let anger and fear and hate disappear
Let there be love that lasts through the year
And let it be Christmas, Christmas everywhere
Let it be Christmas everywhere
In the songs that we sing
And the gifts that we bring
Christmas everywhere
In what this day means
And what we believe
From the sandy white beaches
Where blue water rolls
Snow covered mountains and valleys below
Let it be Christmas everywhere
Let heavenly music fill the air
Let every heart sing
Let every bell ring
The story of hope and joy and peace
And let it be Christmas everywhere
Let heavenly music fill the air
Let anger and fear and hate disappear
Let there be love that lasts through the year
And let it be Christmas, Christmas everywhere
Christmas everywhere
Christmas everywhere
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