The newlyweds hosted us for Christmas Eve. My daughter-in-law, son and her family treated us to all kinds of special drinks and foods as well as beautiful artistry and a warm, welcoming spirit. As I reflected on the happy celebration this morning, I recognized that our holidays will likely change from year to year as our family expands and we grow older. I wanted to capture the beauty of these special moments via words and a few photos. Unfortunately my camera was not powered up so I missed images of the pups' play, the boys' roughhousing, the wine/ice cream tasting contests and all the guests who were there--it's likely that others will share their photos with me to round on this reflection.
As I think about the celebration, I realize celebrations where people care about each other and contribute special time and attention to the event are celebrations that are warm, welcoming, festive and fun which describes last night's celebration well. My favorite moments of the night besides enjoying some special foods and beautiful decor, were moments when I caught people experiencing pure joy--moments of laughter, story telling, gift giving and play.
Now we'll ready to celebrate with my dad, mom, siblings, nieces, nephews, a few friends and our children today. I want to bring the same good cheer and care that my daughter-in-law, son and her family treated us to last night. I am very grateful for these good times.