Christmas Magic

This Christmas brought with it a unique opportunity to spend time with newly-reconnected friends and attend a Lincoln Brewster Christmas concert at their church. When you combine that with free air miles, there's no way I could resist the chance. As if some special time with these great people wasn’t wonderful enough, I can’t deny that the sunshine of California, in December, was a major bonus!

The friends who hosted me had a routine of watching the Hallmark Christmas Channel each morning and I quickly grew to love the pattern of padding my way down the hall and curling up in a blanket on the couch to join them. We’ve never had cable so while I knew about the movies, I didn’t have any personal experience with them. Yes, they are ridiculously romantic and a bit cheesy. Yes, there is a formula. However, there is also a certain charm and expectation that there will be cookies, an interrupted kiss, a challenge to overcome, Christmas magic, the real kiss, snow, and hot cocoa. I’ve been craving hot cocoa for weeks!

I loved this time with them and these movies. I fell in love with them so much that once I moved to the hotel (after extending my stay in town) I continued to turn the television on to watch Hallmark movies as soon as I was awake and also to close out the night watching them. After all, it WAS the Christmas season, and apparently, that’s what people do. While I’m home now and miss those movies, they have touched my heart and will hold a special place forever because of this experience.

Maybe Christmas doesn't come from a store. Maybe Christmas
perhaps, means a little bit more.

I think I’m starting to believe again. While I’m clear about the meaning of Christmas and the celebration of Jesus being born, I’ve started to think there may be some truth to the magic of Christmas. For a variety of reasons, I haven’t done any traditional Christmas events for about 13 years and have actually come to dread the entire season. However, this trip was a catalyst of change.

This trip packed a lot of Christmas magic into it – marathon-style Hallmark Christmas movies, Christmas music on the radio, a HUGE drive-through light display, two nights of touring the neighborhood lights with another dear friend, the Christmas concert, 5 church services across two weekends, a Christmas train, a wondrous Advent Experience event that was so life-changing it will have its own blog post later, Honey Baked Ham, my only Christmas party in about 15+ years, new friends, old friends, and even a marching band playing Christmas music.

Now, back home and with the Christmas season done for 2019, I can say we made the sugar cookies, visited our neighborhood Christmas lights, sent the Christmas texts to friends, did a couple of “spirit of Christmas” anonymous Santa-type things, watched more Christmas movies, and dare I admit it…I even went caroling with some new friends to a nursing home. Some of those were out of my comfort zone, some were who I used to be and lost for all those years. Likely all will be a part of my Christmases future…as I build upon the newly rediscovered magic of Christmas.

Thank you to all who played a role in saving Christmas for me!

One More Thing...
What is your favorite Christmas tradition? Is there one you've lost along the way?

Take care, and I'm always here to pray for you if you have a need or request.
Lois Lynn