A Merrier Christmas

When I was growing up, one of my favorite Christmas traditions was reading a Christmas story every night in the month of December.  My parents would gather us up and my mom would pull out the Christmas book- a big three ring binder full of Christmas stories, ranging from true, to folklore, to that would never happen in a million years, and I don't know who the sap is that's trying to wring every emotion out of us in a one page story. 

My mom would have her story picked out for the night, we would all sit reverently, quietly, while she would read the story with a catch in her throat, and in the end, we would be left feeling inspired to sell our long, beautiful hair to buy a pocketwatch chain for Johnny, (who, sadly, sold his pocketwatch to buy us a comb for our long beautiful hair), invite our poor neighbors to our Christmas feast, or sing carols to the lonely and brokenhearted of the world in general.  It truly inspired the Christmas Spirit and is a treasured memory of my childhood.

So, I decided that this was the year to finally carry on the tradition.  I gathered my own little family, had my story prepared (although, I must say, I only have tolerance for the documentably true stories and the one about Johnny and the hairclip), and prepared to relish in the spirit of the season.  Forty five minutes later we were FINALLY wrapping up the end of the story.  Tears had been shed, but not the kind that spring from a touched heart. 

Elder Maynes, of the quorum of the seventy, taught in General Conference that our children may not remember every detail of family home evening, but they will remember that we did it.

I think that's what happened to my memory.  I grew up in a family with six kids.  That lump my mom had in her throat was probably stemming at least partially from frustration.

President Uchtdorf compares our small successes in the home to the forget-me-not flower.  He said,

"Be thankful for all the small successes in your home...  Like the forget-me-nots, these successes may seem tiny to you and they may go unnoticed by others, but God notices them and they are not small to Him. If you consider success to be only the most perfect rose or dazzling orchid, you may miss some of life’s sweetest experiences.

For example, insisting that you have a picture-perfect family home evening each week (or in my case, a picture perfect setting reading Christmas stories while my angelic children hang on my every word) even though doing so makes you and everyone around you miserable—may not be the best choice. Instead, ask yourself, 'What could we do as a family that would be enjoyable and spiritual and bring us closer together?' That family home evening—though it may be modest in scope and execution—may have far more positive long-term results."

So, I don't interpret that to essentially mean I should give up.  But the part about making everyone around me miserable sure applies.  So, this Christmas season, my goal is to have true charity in my heart, starting with my own little family.  Kindness begins with me, as the old saying goes.  So, while reading a story about kindness and love is good, being a little more kind, patient, and loving with my own family will help them feel the spirit more than the words of the story alone ever could (but don't worry, we'll keep reading them anyway). 

 And while we're on Christmas traditions, here's my favorite:
Happy Birthday sweet Olivia!