I always wondered what a ‘normal’ Holiday Season felt like…without deadlines…without exhaustion…without hypervigilence. For 30 years, Christmas time was our marathon race with year-long lessons learned. It was our report card time to validate every effort of the past 11 months in serving our customers and staff better than the years before. Having a seasonal business where everything mattered in 3 weeks was a whole lot of pressure and performance, and every year, we gave it our all.
Yet, in my marathon to sprint world, I’d often peek out to witness the celebration, the festivities, the traditions. I wondered what it felt like for everyone else that wasn’t working, everyone else that was immersed in the Spirit of the Season. Now, I know first hand. I wear red almost every day. I eat more chocolate in one month than I do all year round. I give…and receive. I embrace the children and their dreams. I walk through the shops, feeling the fervor of the crowds, their lists in hand. Nights especially are holy, as I light our candles with family, and then again with friends. I believe that Santa IS real.
And, yes, on occasion, I’ll get a flash from Christmas past: remembering the last minute runs to the airport to get those last few hundred packages on the FedEx plane in time for Christmas delivery…the constant bass of the Christmas music blasting from the bakery where 150 people worked so hard to keep 8 ovens filled 24/7…the gifts made by hand for families all over the country, the customized gifts specially designed for companies all over the world: even the White House!…seeing hundreds of thousands of fantastically beautiful gifts lined up like soldiers against the shipping wall each morning, waiting for the fleet of delivery trucks to take them where they needed to go…blessings, answered prayers, and absolutely Season’s miracles filled our days, and hearts.
Gratitude is what I feel now…gratitude for all the yesterdays, and for the freedom and grace I savor today!
3 Comments
Great message!! I enjoy the Christmas Holidays very much, because I get to buy things for my 6 grandchildren and 15
great grands. What a hit on the pocketbook, but it’s worth every dime.
This year I wasn’t physially able to do a lot of shopping, but I managed to get it done a little bit at a time, and was so happy to see them all open their presents on Christmas Eve, as we have a big family and friends get together every year on that night… Good food, Great company and smiles galore.
Hope hour Holiday is special too..
Sam
Great message!! I enjoy the Christmas Holidays very much, because I get to buy things for my 6 grandchildren and 15 great grands. What a hit on the pocketbook, but it’s worth every dime.
This year I wasn’t physially able to do a lot of shopping, but I managed to get it done a little bit at a time, and was so happy to see them all open their presents on Christmas Eve, as we have a big family and friends get together every year on that night… Good food, Great company and smiles galore.
Hope hour Holiday is special too..
Sam
Sam, yours sounds like a Kodak moment! How wonderful, and thank you for sharing this with me. I hope the New Year brings you greater health and joy…you give so much…you deserve it all!