First of all I want to wish you all a Merry Christmas and
share with you a quick Nativity Printable that your children can use to play
or simply have it at the kid’s dinner table to keep them entertained until dinner is served.
You can find more adorable Christmas Printables for Kids here.
Being today Christmas Eve I also want to share with you why this season is so special to me.
Before I do so I want to warn you all that I will be sharing my personal beliefs about Christmas.
Please stop reading if you would not like to hear about them.
I have received so many gifts during the years. Some of them of great meaning to me.
I remember as a little girl always wishing and hoping for the Three Kings to bring me a Barbie.
I wished, and I hoped, and I wished, and I hoped until one day I grew old enough to wish and hope for something else.
When I was 18 my then forgotten wish came true and I received among other gifts a Barbie.
I think my oldest sister Elsa convinced Balthazar that it was about time!
I learned that day that our wishes sometimes come true not when we want them
but when we are ready to really appreciate them.
Such a simple but powerful truth that have stuck with me during the years.
As I am looking to my children’s faces, hoping and wishing to find under a tree the gifts so desired
I think about so many families that this Christmas
won’t see the eyes of their children sparkling by the magic that is found under a Christmas Tree.
Some of these children will learn this year that Santa sometimes doesn’t get their letters on time.
Some of these children won’t simply have a tree, a gift, or a family to share this Season with.
Some of those children will be looking at the tree just in the memories of their fathers and mothers,
as their parents remember them, knowing that they are in a better world.
Thinking about all of these the little baby in the arms of Mary and Joseph comes to my mind.
I really believe that as fun as the wrapping paper,the toys, the tree, the lights, the mistletoe and a perfectly decorated home are,
all of these are just part of the celebration but not the reason behind it.
Christmas for me is much more than all of that.
I can honestly say that among the many things I have received, the many things I have accomplished,
the many hopes I have had, the many wishes that have come true in my life,
Jesus Christ is still the greatest gift I have ever received.
Because of Him I celebrate Christmas.
I celebrate the life of my Savior.
I celebrate the hope that his teachings and promises have given me.
I celebrate his redeeming power, the hope of a better world, the miracle of forgiveness,
the infinite influence of true unconditional love.
The story of Christmas to me is one of trust, faith, devotion, and love.
Christmas was born in a manger, with nothing but a stable, two loving parents,
animals as witness and a shining new star in the sky as the only décor.
This simple and humble setting helps me to remember that no matter how little we may have,
no matter if we have dozen of family members around us or if we are alone,
no matter if we can shop until we drop, or if we are still wondering how we are going to make it to the end of the month.
No matter how old or young we are, no matter how broken, empty, full, happy or sad this Christmas may find us,
no matter how far or close to home we might be, no matter how much hope or hopeless we are,
I know that the greatest gift you and I will ever have is the love of our Father above.
I’ll be celebrating this year my 37th Christmas and when I look back to that child wishing for a Barbie and to this grown up woman
looking at her children wishing for their own new toy I realize that today, right here, right now
Christmas is still about hope, about faith, about devotion, and about infinite love.
It’s my hope that I may never forget that, that I may take a minute and thank God for my family tonight,
and a minute to ask Him for those that are missing their families deeply in their hearts.
It’s my hope that the child in me never stops believing in the true meaning of Christmas.
I wish you all a beautiful and Merry Christmas my friends.
Besos
Desirée
Beautiful! Thank you for sharing!
Merry Christmas! Hope you had a great time these festive days with your loved ones!
Beautiful words Desiree! This is my first Christmas without my mother, so what you wrote brought comfort to me…I cannot Thank You enough for sharing! Praying you and your family are BLESSED beyond measure. Merry Christmas! <3 Jill
Amen!
Thank you for sharing your heart so beautifully.
Thank you so much for your kind comment and Merry Christmas!
Oh I love it!! The colors on the Nativity set are so very pretty and soft!
Merry Christmas to you and yours!
Angelina
Angelina,
Have a wonderful Christmas my love.
Thank you so much for being a contributor to The 36th AVENUE and for always taking the time to visit and leave comments.
You are an amazing woman!
Love you!
Sending warm and loving wishes for you and your entire Family…may blessing be upon you all! hugs…
Andrea,
Thank you so much for taking the time to visit with me this Christmas Eve.
I am blessed to have you as a friend and I thank God for putting in my life someone like you.
Have a Merry Christmas my sweet friend!
Love you to pieces.
Desirée
Beautiful post. I don’t comment much but I love your blog and all the inspiration I find here. Have a wonderful Christmas.
Debbie,
I want to let you know that I read every comment and I thank you for visiting and taking the time to say hi.
Wishing you a Merry Christmas my dear.
xoxo
Amen! God bless you for your boldness in sharing your testimony!!
Wishing you a wonderful Christmas and hoping the encouragement and
talent which you share with others comes back to you multiplied many times.
Looking forward to more ideas and styles shared in 2013!
Take the time to hug your loved ones, and make precious memories!
<3. Lynda – Houston, TX
Lynda,
Same to you… I wish you a wonderful Christmas with those that you love.
Thank you for all your sweet wishes and for visiting with me during this year.
Besos!
This is a beautiful post. Thank you so much for reminding us of the true meaning of Christmas.
Merry Christmas to you and your family.
Thank you Maria!
Have a Merry Christmas my love!