It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year

I believe that of all of the holidays that we celebrate in America, Christmas by far is my favorite.

I have the fondest memories of Christmas from my childhood and those memories are rekindled and more pronounced year after year. I think too that it also depends on where I am on the planet logistically and what has occurred in my life prior to the holiday season that will light the memory spark causing it to glow even brighter in my mind.

Well this year it is the obvious in that I am 6000 miles from home, in a country that seems a bit ambivalent when it comes to celebrating Christmas.

To the credit of some commercial entities, there are twinkling lights and decorated trees in their establishments. But I can say that I've yet to see the glow of lights coming from any residential property in the community where I live save for those on my balcony. Although I do believe that some have trees in their homes, just not in or near the windows. I'm just grateful to be able to have done my part in adding to the festivity of the season.

While riding to work last Monday to my surprise the bus that I boarded had it's aisles decked! Isn't that a song? Deck the aisles with boughs of holly, fa la la la la...Wait that's halls right? But hey it works with aisles too! (*>0<*)

I was oh so delighted that I had to take a picture



Then later in the week I managed to catch the same bus again and low and behold guess who was driving? Yep the big guy himself, ole' saint Nick. I didn't take his photo though, didn't want to blow his cover!!!

You know that when I was a child I saw him and the reindeer flying across the sky one Christmas eve. You do know that don't you?

My,my what a well told story and a big imagination will do for a child. My sister and I laughed when we recalled this story again on Christmas day about how our older brother had us totally believing that we saw santa.

But it's memories like those that I hold dear to my heart. Or like when our parents were creating an ice rink in the backyard because we were getting ice skates as one of our gifts that year, so of course we were told that santa had to land there. Hoodwinked again!

And so that I am apart from family and friends Christmas has much more meaning to me this year indeed.

Thankfully I can talk with them via Skype and listen to music online. Daily I filled my space with the sounds of Christmas logging onto the local radio stations from back home. I was so happy and joyful in my humble space.(^0^)

I also had the joy of taking part in the Christmas play at church. After all it is a high holy time for practicing Christians all over the globe. And what is Christmas without the Christmas play right?



And of course there was singing in between so that was an added bonus for this songbird. I even tried spreading a little Christmas cheer to four of my neighbors in my building.

I'd decorated my door and decided to go an extra mile and become a secret santa by hanging a decorative ornament on each of their door handles, but to my chagrin, a Grinch showed up sometime during the night and removed them from the doors.

However, mine thankfully was left in tack. It's good to know that the Grinch has a wee bit of sense. But I didn't let that mean act dampen my spirits because I know that my heart was in the right place and tis the season to be jolly!

So for me it's still the most wonderful time of the year. Merry Christmas and God's blessings to all.