My Best Gift Ever! 20/12/10

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My best gift ever?

WOW, what a question! As I reflect on Christmas’s past I’m not so sure I can actually choose one… so I won’t. For me my “best gift ever” is not so much a physical wrapped present, but a time.  A day to be exact. A day that I have enjoyed with my family for the past thirty-two years. Perhaps taking this special evening with extended family for granted at times until it is now a time of the past, unfortunately.

Like snowflakes, my Christmas memories gather and dance – each beautiful, unique and too soon gone.”
~ Deborah Whipp (1964-), web designer.

My best “gift” ever you see is Christmas Eve. For nearly every one of these past thirty-two years I have missed less than five of these special evenings with my entire extended family. Every year. Every year gathering to visit, exchange gifts, eat and spend a few hours with the ones we have not seen nearly enough throughout the year, if at all.

Our Christmas Eve tradition goes way back. To even before I was born. My mom just remembers always doing it too. Always going to Gram Gram’s on Christmas Eve.

As we got older, we got bigger in more ways than you think. Taller, older, more kids, more spouses…less space. Although however many people came there was always room in that small space for everyone. It was always the same for years. We’d gather, eat, laugh and love. And at the end of the evening after what seemed like hours and hours of waiting we’d open presents! My Great Grandma would call everyone in, we’d find a spot (as close as possible) and wait. She’d take her spot in the middle of all of those beautifully wrapped gifts and hand out each one of them one by one.

Sweet anticipation of the moment when our turn would come.

And after everyone had opened their gift Gram Gram would open her pile of gifts. You see she never just tore open a package, she’d slowly and meticulously savor each and every moment of what she would find. She’d even save the wrap for the next year! I think that it wasn’t really about the gift for her but an opportunity to seize the clock for her very own and truly enjoy each precious, waning minute with the family she loved so very much.  The evening would end with her special cherry torte that was made once a year each Christmas Eve.

Gifts of time and love are surely the basic ingredients of a truly merry Christmas.”
~ Peg Bracken.

Those times were my best gift ever without a doubt.

You see Gram Gram went to Heaven just over seven years ago so our Christmas Eve tradition was broken. We’ve tried very hard to keep it going and gather each Christmas Eve but times have changed.  We’ve all changed. We’re all much older now, most with kids of our own and are making new traditions, counting our blessings and thanking God for the time we can share together. New traditions that will one day be as important and special as Christmas Eve pasts have been to me.

What’s your best gift ever?

P.S. Although this post is part of a sponsored series I’d also love for you to check out the Stand up for Cancer website! I have several people in my family who have have been suffered from various forms of cancer and since SWAGG is offering to donate $1 for every FREE app download up to $125,00 to Stand Up For Cancer I think it is well worth a few moments to read or download a free app. Thank you in advance for participating! Happy, happy holidays!

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