My Holiday Favorites: What Tops My Holiday Nice List
I know it can sound cliche to say that Christmas is a person's favorite time of the year. But for me, it is absolutely the truth. I have felt this way from my earliest childhood memories. I've experienced Christmas with varying degrees of holiday cheer. But whether it was full-fledged Griswold-style gatherings to solitary celebrations when I lived on my own, I've always found a way to make December memorable.
Now that I have a few decades of Christmas's under my jolly ol' belt, I thought it would be fun to sit down and reflect on a handful of things that I love about the holidays, but also a handful I could do without. Adulthood, after all, has a way of dulling the magic luster of Reindeer dust, leaving life feeling like you are dodging piles of Reindeer poo. But more about the Naughty poo list later. First, let's unwrap what tops the Nice List.
Top on my Nice List is giving and receiving cards and gifts.
Now I know the reason for the season is not all about the presents, but I love getting gifts, and I love giving gifts. It really is my Love Language. I grew up in an upper-middle-class home, and while my sister and I didn't always have "brand name" things, we did not go without, either. Additionally, my sister and I were my maternal grandmother's only grandchildren. She had a comfortable retirement, and she enjoyed spending a generous portion on us. Particularly at Christmas.
As we grew into adulthood, we continued to exchange numerous gifts with our parents and each other as we could afford them. And even though it can be challenging to shop for adults who can buy things for themselves, I still think it's special to try to find something personal or unique you think someone will enjoy. Even though I have this emotional connection with exchanging gifts rooted in my childhood, I realized years ago that it is not a material item itself but rather the thought that counts. While Little Jody loved getting presents, the joy for me today is more in giving than receiving.
The second thing I love is going to the Christmas Eve service at church.
When I wasn't a member of any specific church, I'd seek out the local Lutheran Church and attend their midnight service. Not every year, but most years. Most midnight Christmas Eve services have attended included singing Silent Night by candlelight with minimal musical accompaniment. Typically the pastor or elders of the church will start lighting one candle in each row or one candle at the front of the church. And then, each parishioner will share their light until everybody has their candles lit. It creates a sacred and spiritual moment of shared humanity as we reflect on the night the Bible tells us that Jesus was born.
The third thing that I love about Christmas is decorating the house with family mementos.
These are mostly holiday ornaments or figurines that I inherited from my parents and grandparents. I think it helps keep the memory and the traditions of my family members alive. I have also bought my own decorations over the years. Some are from when I lived alone, but some are from the years' Drew and I have been together. There are specific decorations that remind us of different Christmas holidays we have shared together.
The fourth thing I love about Christmas, and the holiday time more generally, is a tie between snow and what I call urban decorations.
First, with the snow, I'm sure you are thinking, "But Jody, you live in California; what do you know about snow?" Well, fun fact: most of my extended family is from Minnesota. We spent a couple of my childhood Christmas's there. Then, when I got older, I lived in Minnesota and then Wisconsin for several years. So I know about snow. And while it can be a lot of work to deal with or hard to drive through, during wintertime, all of that unpleasantness seems to just melt away at Christmas. There is nothing more Christmasy and cozy to me than looking out your window and seeing a blanket of freshly fallen snow. I think it is the whole White Christmas feeling. I keep telling Andrew that we will go somewhere where we will have a truly white Christmas one of these years. Not sure when or where that will be, but we will do it.
As for the holiday cityscapes and what I call urban decorations, what I am referring to are the oversized and larger-than-life decorations in city downtowns, urban centers, malls, shopping centers, etc. It is not uncommon for me to go to a mall to look at all the decorations to soak up some holiday cheer— all the colors, the sparkle. We have a fabulous outdoor pedestrian mall here called Santana Row. They have their own special tree lighting, and it is something I look forward to every year.
The fifth and final thing on my holiday Nice List isn't last because I love it any less than the rest, but because it is a relatively new tradition.
And that is watching the Countdown To Christmas Movies on the Hallmark Channel. I have always been an avid rom-com girl. Add in some Hollywood Christmas magic, and I am all there for it! While Drew thinks they are entirely sappy and over the top, that is why I love them. I've been watching for several years, and I'm pleased to say their quality continues to improve. I think that the storylines are getting better, with more diverse casting and inclusive storylines. So while I concede they are filled to the brim with cliche Christmas predictability, that's what I like about them, actually. I like that there's no bad news and that they are all about love. I savor that there's no talk of current events or controversy. It's just really excellent escapism entertainment that gives me the warm and fuzzies. So yes, I am that person who, before Thanksgiving even, will put on the Hallmark channel early in the day and just let it roll all day long, much to Andrew's Bah-Humbug. (It helps that Alton likes the Hallmark Channel, too.) :)
For everything I do love about Christmas, there are a few aspects I could do without, or at least, less of. Come back for next week's post, where I will share what tops my Naughty List for the holidays. I look forward to sharing those next week. In the meantime, comment below what are some of your favorite Christmas traditions. I'd love to read them.
Happy Holidays!
