Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas! I am so excited. I love the Advent season, and the anticipation of Jesus Christ's birth. Every Sunday of the Advent season I am so excited to see yet another candle lit, and now it is time for the real celebration to commence! 

For Christmas, I gather with my awesome extended family for either Christmas Eve dinner or Christmas day dinner. Of course we go to mass together (my fave part) ... we don't usually go at the same time, it actually all depends on how tired we are from our family gatherings. I suppose many American families have Christmas traditions like making popcorn garland, Christmas cookies, eating a specific food (Turkey and cranberry and gingerbread cakes), taking an annual photo, etc. Our "tradition" is not timed nor super specific. The most important thing is to eat together, be together, and celebrate the coming of Jesus Christ! 

This year I am in Ecuador, and thus am not celebrating with my family, but as long as I can attend mass, it is Christmas for me! I love Sundays and Christmas mass is like an amplification of every Sunday put together! I am excited to see how this Christmas will be here, but I always need to remind myself that Christmas is not about the gifts, nor the food, nor the "doing" charity, but it is about celebrating Jesus Christ, and in that we celebrate his love by sharing, giving, and loving. :)

Happy, Happy, Happy Christmas,

Christine

Joining in on the Winter Wonderland Challenge with this post. :)

FACTOID: The Bible does not actually mention the day Jesus Christ was born. Initially, the choice of December 25th came from Pope Julius I who chose this date near to the winter solstice so that it would be absorbed by the pagan Saturnalia holiday which occurred on the same date. Also, Russian and Greek orthodox churches celebrate Christmas on 3 Kings Day, 13 days after Christmas.