Christmas Abc's

A is for angels, Advent calendar, apple pie, apple pie, anticipation

B is for bells, Bethlehem, bows, baking, baby, boxes, believing

C is for Carolers, chimney, cards, candles, candy, chestnuts, cookies, cheer

D is for dinner, drums, decorations, dolls, dreams, dessert

E is for Evergreen, elves, eggnog, eagerly waiting

F is for friends, fireplace, fun, Frosty, festive, family, Frosty the Snowman, fudge

G is for garland, greetings, green, Grinch, glitter, giving, gingerbread cookies, grandparents, gifts

H is for ho ho ho, hugs, holly, happiness, home, holy, hope

I is for iced cookies, icicles, ice skating,

J is for joy, Jesus, jolly, jingle, Joseph, Jack Frost, Jingle Bells

K is for Kris Kringle, kids, keepsakes, kindness,

L is for lists, love, lights, laughter, letters to Santa

M is for mistletoe, Mary, manger, Mrs. Claus, memories, mittens, magic

N is for naughty, nice, noel, nutcracker, nativity scene

O is for ornaments, overwhelmed, opening gifts

P is for peace, packages, parties, Poinsettia, popcorn, pictures

Q is for quiet time, quilts

R is for Rudolph, reindeer, relatives, red, ribbons

S is for Santa, shepherds, singing, sparkle, sledding, sleigh, stockings, shopping, snow, secrets, skating, stable, snowmen, snowballs, star

T is for traditions, trees, tinsel, trimming, toys, turkey, traveling

U is for unity, unselfish, under the tree

V is for visiting, visitors, vacation

W is for wreaths, Wise Men, wrapping paper, winter wonderland, wishing, waiting

X is for x-cited, xylophone, x-tra special

Y is for Yuletide, yule log, yams, zzzzzzzzzzzz (kids sleeping)

Z is for zest, zealous, zoom

I love Christmas, there's no way of getting around it, Christmas is my favorite time of the year. Everything about it is appealing: The excitement of choosing or making a gift for those on your list; The cool crisp air that makes you feel alive; The aromas waffling from the kitchen of a plethora of cookies and goodies being created; well, I could go on and on, but, I'll stop for a minutes.

During this wonderful, cheerful, exhausting season not many people seem to take the time to think, really, deeply think about what Christmas means to them. To me it means, family, friends, celebration of life and love, gathering together to celebrate living, loving, faith, hope, and the closeness of those I love. The gifts are an added pleasure but to tell the truth, just being with the ones I love is enough for me.

I enjoy all of the shopping, running around, and planning, it may be tiring but it's fun. At the end of the day I realized I had a hard time telling anyone what I would like for Christmas. I am one of those who are uncomfortable receiving - I love to give. My family struggles to find just the thing they think I would like. I finally shared with them that a picture of them is what would bring me joy. I now have a picture collection that is the envy of all those far and wide. I make a special gift for those closest to me as a way of giving a part of myself to them. My Christmas giving begins in January, after all, I need plenty of time to create.

Anyway, Christmas it the most giving, loving time of the year for, I hope, many. The most satisfying Christmas is when you spend the time just plain enjoying the company of family and friends.

• May this Christmas end the present year on a cheerful note and make way for a fresh and bright New Year. Here’s wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
• Warmest thoughts and best wishes for a wonderful Holiday and a Happy New Year. May peace, love and prosperity follow you always.
• May your Christmas sparkle with moments of love, laughter and goodwill, And may the year ahead be full of contentment and joy. Have a Merry Christmas.
• Whatever is beautiful. Whatever is meaningful. Whatever brings you happiness. May it be yours these Holidays and throughout the coming year.
• As you relish the goodies, decorate every nook and corner of your home, and enjoy the get-togethers, may the joy and festivities continue to radiate in your lives, long after Christmas is gone. Merry Christmas! Happy New Year!