Merry Christmas! And some ramblings...

Well... having a couple of days off will slow things down a bit - at least in the computer world.  I've been crazy busy trying to make sure the house is clean, all the presents are bought and surprise, surprise -- they were all wrapped and under the tree by Friday night!!  Which is a shocker for us...I have had everything bought before, but usually spend the day of Christmas eve wrapping presents.  :(  This year we were babysitting granddaughter...and ended up having a slumber party Friday night.  It was fun...but I'm still not the most hip grandma in town.  We didn't do a whole lot of fun stuff.  It was most exciting the next morning.  We got up, got dressed and had a quick snack before heading to the movies to see Ferdinand!!  It was awesome.  It really was so cute!  One of my granddaughters had already seen it, and didn't mind watching it again, which is usually a good sign.

It was so cute - I can't wait till it comes out on DVD so we can buy it.  It's great. 
Anyway - it was snowing when we came out of the theater, and everything was decorated for Christmas, there was Christmas music playing, and it just felt magical - so very seasonal.  I loved it.  My granddaughters loved it, and it was just one of those moments you treasure.
Then it was time to take two of them home and it was emotional meltdown.  sigh
Got to love kids.
There are many times I'm very thankful that I'm a grandma and can send them home, lol.
Anyway - since it's Sunday and Christmas Eve, I didn't want to miss another day.  I haven't posted much this week because there wasn't much listed on the Brownielinks site to mention, and so I didn't. 
Today is the 24th day of Light the World.  Have you been trying to keep up with it?  Our family has, and it hasn't gone very well.  :(   I've had the effort in my heart, and there have been some days that it's worked more than others...  sigh.  Today is:


Is Christ in your Christmas?  Is He the center or is the gifts and Santa Claus?  I decided a couple of years ago that I didn't want Santa decorations.  I'm not really been anti-santa, but I'm not a proponent either.  We like the movie. Santa Clause, and we have had fun with several other ones. But there was a commentary a couple of weeks ago about the letter written many decades ago called; Yes Virginia, There is a Santa Claus.  I've wanted to make a comment on that and I think today is the best to do it.

I have nothing against people encouraging their children to believe in Santa.  Our children all used to believe in it - though I don't think we were heavily encouraging in the area.  We do stockings...but they know most of the time it's personal hygene stuff, lol.  Not real exciting.
My autistic son is very adamant about it though.  He loves the idea of santa, and he makes sure that there is a plate of cookies and glass of milk EVERY year.  Even though he's now in his 20's.  We have talked with him and discussed the fact that while the storybook character is based on a real person, it's nothing like what everyone thinks he is now.  It doesn't matter, he likes Santa Claus and wants to believe in him.  We figure he can if he wants, it doesn't hurt anything or any body and it makes him happy.  He still believes in Jesus Christ and has a testimony of His gospel, so what does it matter?
To a 'normal' person, that would be contradictory, but it works for him.
I read an article in the paper that expressed concern of children believing in Santa and then finding out he's not real - wouldn't that reflect on them believing in Jesus because they don't see him?  It's a whole different thing, and on one hand I see a small point, but on the other - there is such a person as Jesus Christ, and He changed the way of our lives the moment he died.

Christmas has changed in the years since I've been a live.  It used to be a fun holiday that we got out for school, had school programs, gave presents to everyone, said Merry Christmas, and talked about the real reason for the day - rarely mentioning santa clause.  He was more the silly side of stuff. I admit that I loved the ads that Coca Cola ran with Santa when I was a kid.
It has since become a heavily commercial holiday that there is more focus on gifts getting than giving and the birth of the Savior.
In some countries, they are not Christian in society, but they celebrate Christmas with Santa Claus. 
I hope that you are able to celebrate the time with family - regardless of what your religious beliefs are, that is something for everyone.  To quote from the movie, the Grinch "No one should be alone on Christmas."  I wish my home was big enough to take everyone in and give them a hot meal and a small token, but I don't.  I try to give what I can...but it doesn't feel like much.
The idea of Santa is lovely in the spirit of Christmas - but the true spirit of Christmas is in the Savior of the world, Jesus Christ.  It's only here and celebrated today because he lived AND died for us.  There are times when I have forgotten that.  If he hadn't given himself as sacrifice, we wouldn't be celebrating his birth.
I hope you have a wonderful holiday and are able to spend it with family.  Whatever your leanings...you are loved, you are a child of God, and the world is a better place because you are in it.