A warm cinnamon sugar scone with honey butter.
A chunk of chocolate-amaretto swirl fudge.
And aisles and aisles of love
all lit up.
Oh there you are, Christmas spirit!
I just haven't been feeling the Christmas spirit much yet this year. But today our caravan of tots'n'mommas made its way to the Festival of Trees.
It was just what I needed.
The Festival of Trees has been one of my favorite Christmas traditions from the time that I was a young woman. Our young women group would go every year for a mutual activity. There is a very sweet, special feeling there. One year we donated homemade suckers to be sold there. Another year I donated some sock dolls my mother had helped me make. When I was 16 or 17, I was blessed with the opportunity to help create a tree for our Young Women leader's son. That year at the festival I got to stand among the trees and watch others enjoy them. I felt warm inside
and it wasn't just because of the scones.
Along with the spirit of giving that is found among the aisles of lovingly adorned Christmas trees, there is also a power of healing.
A few years ago, five little girls returned Home after they had shut themselves in the trunk of a car while playing. This heartbreaking story affected me deeply, though I didn't know the families. I don't remember if it was that year or the next, but a tree was decorated in their memory for the Festival of Trees. As I remember, the tree was the tallest in the room. There were five large, exquisite porcelain dolls, poised playfully near the tree among toys and decorations. Everything was decorated in soft colors and heavenly white. But the most beautiful thing was the feeling that encompassed the entire setting and those who passed by. People would stop and linger there. There was an overwhelming feeling of peace, of love, of joy and healing. It felt like looking in on a scene from heaven and that we were standing on holy ground. There was an inaudible whisper in the stillness of the scene, they are all right, they are happy... they live. I couldn't keep tears from my eyes and found it hard to leave.
This year a wonderful family friend decorated a tree for her daughter, who was one of the closest things to a sister that Jason had growing up. The same heaven sent feelings could be felt there, standing before her tree.
Even those trees that are not decorated in someone's memory seem to bring a special kind of joy. I can't help but think it is because of the cause. Our little family has been to Primary Children's more than a few times and there is a special feeling in and around that building. We are so grateful for it and so grateful to live nearby. Some travel for hours or even days to receive care there.
And while we're on the subject of things we're grateful for...
This year I was grateful for the small loaf of bread that Janie picked out from the Sweet Shoppe. She was so excited about it [she preferred it over the scones! I don't know how that happened!]
She proceeded to throw the bag of leftover bread onto the floor and did so repeatedly for the rest of the day.
And so, now, in addition to my newfound Christmas joy, I also have a bag of homemade breadcrumbs, also made in the spirit of giving [as in, giving the bag back to her when she threw it on the floor. But every little grin made it well worth the effort. And it's Christmas.]
A chunk of chocolate-amaretto swirl fudge.
And aisles and aisles of love
all lit up.
Oh there you are, Christmas spirit!
I just haven't been feeling the Christmas spirit much yet this year. But today our caravan of tots'n'mommas made its way to the Festival of Trees.
It was just what I needed.
The Festival of Trees has been one of my favorite Christmas traditions from the time that I was a young woman. Our young women group would go every year for a mutual activity. There is a very sweet, special feeling there. One year we donated homemade suckers to be sold there. Another year I donated some sock dolls my mother had helped me make. When I was 16 or 17, I was blessed with the opportunity to help create a tree for our Young Women leader's son. That year at the festival I got to stand among the trees and watch others enjoy them. I felt warm inside
and it wasn't just because of the scones.
Along with the spirit of giving that is found among the aisles of lovingly adorned Christmas trees, there is also a power of healing.
A few years ago, five little girls returned Home after they had shut themselves in the trunk of a car while playing. This heartbreaking story affected me deeply, though I didn't know the families. I don't remember if it was that year or the next, but a tree was decorated in their memory for the Festival of Trees. As I remember, the tree was the tallest in the room. There were five large, exquisite porcelain dolls, poised playfully near the tree among toys and decorations. Everything was decorated in soft colors and heavenly white. But the most beautiful thing was the feeling that encompassed the entire setting and those who passed by. People would stop and linger there. There was an overwhelming feeling of peace, of love, of joy and healing. It felt like looking in on a scene from heaven and that we were standing on holy ground. There was an inaudible whisper in the stillness of the scene, they are all right, they are happy... they live. I couldn't keep tears from my eyes and found it hard to leave.
This year a wonderful family friend decorated a tree for her daughter, who was one of the closest things to a sister that Jason had growing up. The same heaven sent feelings could be felt there, standing before her tree.
Even those trees that are not decorated in someone's memory seem to bring a special kind of joy. I can't help but think it is because of the cause. Our little family has been to Primary Children's more than a few times and there is a special feeling in and around that building. We are so grateful for it and so grateful to live nearby. Some travel for hours or even days to receive care there.
And while we're on the subject of things we're grateful for...
This year I was grateful for the small loaf of bread that Janie picked out from the Sweet Shoppe. She was so excited about it [she preferred it over the scones! I don't know how that happened!]
She proceeded to throw the bag of leftover bread onto the floor and did so repeatedly for the rest of the day.
And so, now, in addition to my newfound Christmas joy, I also have a bag of homemade breadcrumbs, also made in the spirit of giving [as in, giving the bag back to her when she threw it on the floor. But every little grin made it well worth the effort. And it's Christmas.]
1 comment:
Yet another great post, Meg! It WAS a lot of fun. We are going to get you in the Christmas spirit if it kills us this December with all our activities planned!
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