Merry Christmas (eve)!
Hey friends! Since it's Christmas tomorrow, I'm busy doing holiday-prep tasks today. So, I'm going to just skip the usual menu/grocery report this week.
And I'll leave you with a picture of my Christmas tree.
I will never get tired of the way Christmas lights reflect off a wood floor. So good!
If you observe December holidays of any flavor, I hope you have a lovely time celebrating.
And if your holiday is not going to be quite what you hoped it would be (perhaps you have lost a loved one, maybe you are isolated due to illness, maybe family dynamics are hard), I'm sending you a virtual hug. Holidays are often so full of idealized expectations, and those expectations can press especially hard on the parts of our hearts that are raw and tender.
Sometimes I find it helpful to remember that all of us humans will be having imperfect holidays in one way or another; in some basic sense, we are all in this together.
And since none of our lives are perfectly smooth and easy, it's a good thing life doesn't have to be perfect to be beautiful.
Here's to finding the bits of beauty right where we are. Merry Christmas! Happy Holidays!
(And I'd say "Happy New Year" as well, but we all know I will be back here writing more posts before New Year's Day.) 😉
Merry Christmas Eve, Kristen! I am so appreciative of your blog and this small community of kind hearted people.
“And since none of our lives are perfectly smooth and easy, it’s a good thing life doesn’t have to be perfect to be beautiful.” ❤️
Merry Christmas, Kristen! You are a blessing and a joy!
@Ruth T, wholeheartedly agree with these first 2 comments - Kristen is a blessing, and so is the community of readers; thanks and Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas from the northern parts of Sweden where the Northernlights will be composeing another symphony above my cottage tonight. Think I´ll fire up the sauna soon....
@Northernlightsinvestment, aren’t you lucky! I so wish to make a trip to see the northern lights. Soak in their majesty and have a Merry .Christmas!
Best wishes for a joyous Christmas and a healthy and happy 2022!
Wishing you the blessings of love and peace. May your holiday be joyful and your hearts full.
Merry Christmas (Eve) to Kristen and all her wonderful readers.
Merry Christmas!
Kristen-This is a beautiful post. It is so joyful and full of wisdom and understanding. Merry Christmas to all!
Merry Christmas to you, Kristen. And to all my fellow readers, as well.
Merry Christmas to Kristen and each of you readers!
For those who are following Christ, but are struggling or weary, this is my favorite Christmas song this year. I cried while watching the video the first time. May it minister to other hearts as well.
https://youtu.be/C-QHbpYjuIg
O come, all you unfaithful /
Come, weak and unstable /
Come, know you are not alone /
O come, barren and waiting ones /
Weary of praying, come /
See what your God has done.
@Dorinda,
Thanks Dorinda 🙂 That was much needed.
May you and your family enjoy celebrating our Savior's birth and look forward to a blessed New Year.
I am not a Christmas person at all, but I must say that is a lovely message!
Merry Christmas, Kristen. Merry Christmas, frugal people.
To you as well! Your recipes are a part of our Christmas morning every year and I am eternally grateful for that. I hope you all have a fun and relaxing Christmas
And also with you!
Sending warm greetings to my FG friends!
Such touching, heartfelt words, Kristen, capturing the spirit of the season so well. Merry Christmas and season's greetings to you and to this kind community.
I love our little virtual community. Very life giving in such difficult times.
Merry days to you all!
Merry Christmas Kristen and fellow FG readers! I hope you all find some time for coziness and peace.
Peace and love and joy to all.
Your kind and compassionate sentiments are a balm to a weary world. Thank you for exuding the Love of Christ and may you and yours be blessed this Christmas. It is a wonderful gathering of readers/family that we have.
Merry Christmas Kristen! What a gift your blog is. You so eloquently put out your words and always provide calm, comfort, strength, positivity and light. Thank you for doing this work and for being you!
Merry Christmas Kristen and to all in this community !
Merry Christmas to you and your family. You bring light and joy to all of us.
A very merry Christmas to you, your family and your readers! Thank you for the joy, positivity, wisdom and kindness!
So very thankful
For your blog!
Merry Christmas and a Happy & Healthy New Year!
"Holidays are often so full of idealized expectations, and those expectations can press especially hard on the parts of our hearts that are raw and tender."
So beautifully said, Kristen. Wonderful post. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Thank you for all you do.
I LOVE your Christmas tree. It brought back nice memories of family Christmas trees over the years.
Kristen wrote: "Sometimes I find it helpful to remember that all of us humans will be having imperfect holidays in one way or another; in some basic sense, we are all in this together."
Thank you for saying that! That is what gets me by when I'm having a hard time in life. I look at someone else that may be having a hard time and I think, if they can do it, so can I. I find encouragement in that. Thank you for all you do Kristen!!
Merry Christmas to you and yours! I so enjoy this cheerful place on the internet. Thank you for inviting us in.