It's the most wonderful time of the year...

I love this time of year. There's something about Chritmastime... it always seems to bring out the best in people. Most people are genuinely happy and giving more than they are at other times of the year. And the decorations... though some can be gaudy, it's always so much fun... all the lights and shiny things (yes, a slight case of ADD going here). I learned this year that if I didn't decorate outside, I would greatly disappoint the neighborhood kids that have watched me do it every year since I've been in my house. I actually heard one little girl excitedly tell her Dad "Miss Kara is putting up her lights!!" And she's only seen me do it for a couple of year - her older brothers have seen it since year one in my house, when it was only icicles along my roof line. And in the office, in honor of all my travels to FL anyway, I decided to bring a bit of FL indoors... a lighted palm tree. Everyone who's seen it has just smiled and think it's a trip. I love making others smile. :)

Christmas has always been a big deal in my family. It's always very family oriented, and always very BIG!! I think that's part of what I love. We probably overspend on gifts for each other, but it's not to show each other up or beat so-n-so from their gift last year... we just want everyone else in the family to be happy and have a good Christmas. Every year, we say we're going to downsize and spend less. But we never do. That's always what we've done. It goes back to that love of making others smile.

The main thing I love, though, is the fact that it always brings us together as a family, every year, no matter what. I always joke that whatever man is lucky enough to get a ring on my finger had better expect to have NON-white Christmas for awhile cause being married will not keep me from my family Christmases!! My parents are in Jacksonville now, and my sister comes up with her family from Palm Bay, I head down from Indiana, and my grandmother (Nan) comes down from Pennsylvania. I love watching the expressions when they open up that one perfect gift, no matter who it came from.

I'll post more pictures later of the decorations and other craziness I incur. My company Christmas party was last weekend... but I'm not sure if I need to post any of them. let's just say we all had a good time and leave it at that. :)