Did anyone feel this way, or it was just me... and Charlie Brown "I think there must be something wrong with me. Christmas is coming, but I don't feel the way I am supposed to feel "

 It is December, I knew it, but I wasn't feeling it ...
I wasn't in the Christmas spirit ...
For the first time in my life, I was lacking the excitement of the season; not the beautiful Christmas posts in my blogroll, neither did the weather make it easy for me to FEEL it,
and 
I hated it!
However, it didn't cross my mind, not even once, that the magic of the holidays has disappeared for me, I perhaps, needed more time this year. I admit that with the passing of years, the magic of the holidays has been crowded out by the all too real world of worries and business, but I have always been able to hold my heart wide open for the spirit of the most warm and gentle celebration as I try for every simple joy in my life.
I needed to reread my favorite Christmas story "The Gift of the Magi" and to find my son's Santa Claus baby toy to remind me with distinctive voice that "The Magic of Christmas Lays in your Heart "  
I believe that, 
but 
somehow I had allowed the expectant heart to be smothered by the vast array of responsibilities 
and too little time... 
Well, yesterday I thought to myself What is the spirit of Christmas after all ?!
I WANT my childlike wonder and excitement back !

So
like everything in life starts with a tiny little step,
I was ready to make mine.
The easy start was baking cookies - no surprise here -
what else invigorates the senses 
than the cozy aroma of baked goodies in the kitchen.
Our Christmas tree is still at the tree farm waiting for us to go and cut it only because I want this to be a special occasion and we haven't found time to organize it so far ( what a shame, I know ).
 I simply placed some Christmas touches here and there in the house just to start 





and 
then 
It hit me -
a wonderful idea that was in our Advent calendar last year, but for some unknown reason we didn't do it ( guess what , we don't have an Advent calendar this year ).
I shared it with my son, he embraced it (of course, even teenagers need the Christmas spirit alive, who am I kidding), 
and 
I was in the line in the bakery buying pretzels.
We tied each pretzel with a ribbon and headed to the near forest, my son, my husband, our dog and I.
We chose the perfect tree and hung the pretzels from the branches as a gift to the birds.
We laughed, we took each others pictures, we watched the squirrels, we even captured  the "pretzels tree" on the camera, we ran with the dog ...
We were content, we were happy, we shared time together ...
and I felt it, 
the same warm feeling of my childhood, the same pleasant feeling that all the life simple joys bring in me, 
the self-giving side of me ...
and
I asked myself a kind of rhetorical question:
Isn't the Christmas spirit just the same warm feeling of happiness, joy of life, togetherness and love for each other ?
 
 



My mind was bombarded with ideas and projects.
My heart was full with well-known enthusiasm.
I hope to find time for some of them and if I don't, 
that's okay with me. 

The sign of Christmas we can find everywhere and in everything, don't you think ? 




* * *   
" Christmas is not a time or season but a state of mind. To cherish peace and good will, to be plenteous in mercy, is to have the real spirit of Christmas "
~ C.Coolidge, 1927





Dear friend, thank you for taking your time and reading my thoughts.
Find the spirit of Christmas in everyday joys!




I am sharing these simple moments with  Suzanne and her readers on
Monday Moments 
and Amy ~ Virtual coffee , 
and Courtney ~ Feathered Nest Friday
Sherry ~ Home Sweet Home
Alison ~ Stuff and Nonsense