I detest the materialism, but I love the holidays!!
I love adding a new figurine for our tabletop nativity, I love looking up medieval Christmas traditions, making an advent wreath and choosing the candles. I love my husband and sons hooking up the lines to hang it from. (That's always some good slapstick comedy!) I love dogs in red and white little winter coats. I love watching "It's a wonderful life".
I love my family going through their stuff to take to St. Vincent DePaul. I love holiday food drives, coat drives and shoe drives. I love angel trees at the grocery stores. I love making big pots of hot chili for the homeless. I love collecting gloves and hats for the less fortunate.
I've been one of those poor kids wearing thick, itchy old socks with old summer sandals and bread bags underneath and over top to keep from frostbite. I've been a kid who was so thrilled to get a dirty, used doll from a charity that I was just over the moon! I guess what I love is the opportunity to reflect on how far God has taken me, realize that there are still kids out there hoping and wishing for a 25 year old pink coat, if they're lucky. They're humble little souls and deserve to be cared for. And this is just about the only time of year when everyone tries to give a little to help. It's good for the soul to see that almost everyone has it in them to give a little.
And besides, Christmas songs are fun. I always liked "All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth". I sure knew how that kid felt!