Home For the Holidays

As much as I love travel, like I said last week I don’t mind coming home. Especially when it is holiday time.

I’ve been bustling. I’ve gotten all of my Christmas shopping done. That sounds like a great feat, but since we only buy for young children and my mom in our family, I don’t have to buy a lot of gifts,

I don’t buy for friends anymore. I stopped because it was simply too much. At my age, most of us don’t need more stuff and I hate to shop, so I told my friends years ago if they feel the urge to buy me a gift, to buy something for themselves instead.

I learned at an early age my dad simply didn’t appreciate gifts. I quit getting him gifts unless I found something I knew he’d love. Usually I would say something like “Hey Dad, do you like my haircut?” When he answered “Of course, Kimberley,” I’d say “Merry Christmas!”

Truly he enjoyed that exchange more than having to open a gift he didn’t want or appreciate.

I like gifts more than he did, but don’t need more stuff. I don’t have a place for all I have now. I’d rather share experiences with friends and family.

I did bring back a supply of Cadbury’s chocolate for my family from my trip to Wales. They do very well with “no gifts” from my travels (I did that at first, but finally realized no one really cared if I stopped), but chocolate from the UK is a must. This will be a “dish” on Christmas Day.

Our Advent offering at church this year is collecting baby necessities for a nonprofit that helps local families. That’s diapers, wipes, baby food and formula. Isn’t that Christmas appropriate? The picture above is the beginning of our offering, under our Christmon tree. Our tree is gorgeous and the ornaments so special. Many were made in memory of people special to our church.

Since shopping didn’t take long, I have enjoyed some of the Christmas festivities in our town. I went to our parade last Sunday. There’s nothing like a small town parade. I’ve gone many times since my first one at age six, and still love them. A few of my ballooning friends flew over the route – a big crowd pleaser and a signature in recent years.

I also spent a night out with friends, and another alone, looking at Christmas lights. We found some great ones. I wrote an article for NewsBreak today on some of our (my) favorites.

Tomorrow is the sixth anniversary of my Dad’s death. I won’t focus on it- I try to celebrate his life instead of his death. Still you remember, don’t you? I wonder if I ever won’t.

Tomorrow some ballooning friends also plan to do a drive-through balloon glow for our city. They collect non-perishables for a local food bank. Let’s hope the weather cooperates. It’s a beautiful thing.

Whether you celebrate Christmas or not, give the gift of kindness. We all need it, don’t we?