Day Nine of the 12 Days of Christmas

It's day nine already! Christmas is getting closer by the minute! So, without further ado, here is your list for today.

 

1. Instead of exchanging gifts with close friends, go to lunch. That way you get to catch up on all the goings-on and spend time with someone you really care about. Time spent together is better than a present any day.

 

2. Get a small photo album, or make one yourself, and use it to keep all your favorite holiday recipes in one place. Add new ones every year, and soon you will have a collection worthy of Martha Stewart!

 

3. Discover the quiet satisfaction of giving anonymously.

 

4. Have a special tablecloth or place mats that are used only on Christmas Day. I have a set of Christmas dishes for the day.

 

5. Get out some ol,d family-favorite games, such as Monopoly or Aggravation. Our family likes to play Clue. Have a family tournament during the month of December, or maybe just the two weeks that the kids are out of school. Make the time memorable by giving small prizes and keeping a photo record of the tournament winners to go in your family Christmas album.

 

6. Ask your children what they are giving this year, instead of what they are getting.

 

7. Make a special effort to call family members or friends who have lost someone they love in the last year. Let them know you are thinking of them and wish them peace.

 

8. Be sure to wave "Thank you" when someone lets you into the holiday traffic. I do this one all year long and you would be surprised how it affects people.

 

9. When you see a family or group taking pictures of one another, offer to take one of the whole group.

 

10. If you live in a college town, this is a good one for you. There are always students who can't afford to go home for the holidays. Call the dean and ask if there might be a couple of students who would like to share a holiday meal with your family.

I think the spirit of Christmas is a most wonderful thing! If we could practice the spirit of giving and love all year round, think what the world would be like! Like Tiny Tim would say, "God bless us, every one!"

And they all had fun at the lady bug picnic.