Why I think Christmas is Merry

Christmas is my absolute favorite holiday! For fun, I compiled a list of my top ten reasons why I love Christmas, in no particular order:
10.) The general ambience of the season: You all know what I'm talking about. Everyone seems to be a bit more friendly, giving, kind, and patient.
9.) Christmas traditions: Some things are just more special when you do them year after year
8.) All the wonderful smells: From molasses gingersnap cookies to homemade bread to live Christmas trees to hot chocolate, our home always smells wonderful in December
7.) Service opportunities: Christmastime gives me many opportunities to serve others in special ways, like going caroling at a veteran's hospital
6.) The weather: I love how cold it gets, even if it's only a SoCal level of cold
5.) Family Christmas parities: They include lots of food, jokes, and to-the-death ornament exchanges (seriously. This year someone used the Jedi chokehold when their gift was stolen)
4.) Gift exchanging: Even if all the gifts I wrap look terrible!
3.) Performances: I love being in and watching Christmas performances (This year I saw A Christmas Carol play at the Long Beach Playhouse, and it was amazing!)
2.) The music! I started playing Christmas music way back in September and kept it going all through Halloween and Thanksgiving. 
1.) Spending time with family: It's the favorite thing to do during Christmas
The biggest reason why I love Christmas, however, is more important than any other reason I put on my top ten list. It has to do with a baby boy, born thousands of years ago, who came to Earth in the humblest of circumstances. This little boy is what makes my Christmases matter, and what makes every day of my life matter.
One of my favorite Christmas songs is, "Mary, did you know?" I've often pondered this age old question during the Christmas season. Did Mary know who her baby boy would one day become? Did she know that the sacrifice He would make would save her, and me, and everyone in the whole world? Did she know He would be the Savior? Maybe Mary didn't know all that then, but I know it now. And that knowledge makes Christmas worth celebrating and life worth living.

Hope you have a Merry and sunshine-filled Christmas!

The Giggling Scholar

On our family's Christmas card ages ago, my mother gave everyone in my family a fun name. For example, my brother's name was "head of covert operations" because he was constantly devising mischievous little plans to steal food from the cupboard or flood the bathroom with two inches of water. My siblings all had similar personality appropriate names. My name was the Giggling Scholar because I was infamous for laughing hysterical at any joke, even if it wasn't very funny. Every once in awhile, my family still like to laugh about the name. This is one of many inside jokes I share with my family. There are ones I share with my friends too, and if anyone mentions, "a pet cemetery" "Cheezit Scrabble" or "Popcorn", my friends and I automatically roll into giggles. These words trigger great memories of awkward, stupid, or funny situations that we've shared together.
From inside jokes to puns to funny situations, humor is definitely something I find very important in my life. First off, I've formed great friendships over humor. The "Cheezit Scrabble" joke, for instance, marked the firm beginning of one of my most cherished friendships. Other similar instances have strengthen my relationships with my friends in much the same way that shared interests or similar talents bring people together. Humor helps diffuse awkward situations, and humorous memories connect people in a way that not much else can.
Humor also helps me keep perspective in life. I come from a big family of seven. Life is... well, crazy. With so many people in one house, it's a daily struggle to balance conflicting schedules while still keeping everyone fed, clothed, and happy. Sometimes, we mess up. We use somebody else's toothbrush, or "accidently" eat our mom's secret stash of dark chocolate, or walk out of the house wearing a sibling's shirt. In the face of these potentially contentious situations, we all try and just laugh. It's the only thing that keeps our crazy family sane.
Finally, humor helps bring joy into other people's lives. Anyone who has hung around little kids a lot knows that a funny face or a weird sound effect can switch a child's mood from pouty to giggly instantly. When humor is used positively, it brightens lives and widens smiles. Laughter really is the best medicine!
So today? Find something to laugh about. More importantly, find someone you can laugh with.