On a more personal note.

The first real snowfall. Nothing marks the true descent of wintertime like seeing frosted windowpanes and flocked trees lining the icy streets. Along with this time of year comes a bit of reflection for everybody though, closing the year, wondering about lost hopes or goals, and if everything came to fruition or not.

For me, I've been feeling a little...lost. I'm sure it's common for a lot of adults to feel this way, especially around a holiday that used to have so much richness and excitement about the day that Santa comes. We try as parents to live vicariously through our children, but it seems to only give a faint stroke of what we used to feel in their shoes. I've tried to stare at the lit-up Christmas tree, listen to endless hours of Christmas music, and hang the stockings with care, but it only seems to be a shell of the former best day of the entire year.

Whether it's because each Christmas present you buy for yourself ultimately just drains your bank account more, or whether it's because the new flavors of something new have waxed old, I don't think I can diagnose what the real cause of Christmas blues would be. Life is good right now, everyone is healthy and happy, but I can't shake the feeling of being lost...

So let me offer up maybe one solution to the problem. I think with Christmas, there tends to be a lot of nostalgia, and maybe looking forward to the next year, but little thought is given to the present, which is ironic considering Christmas is full to the brim with presents. I think the sense of being lost can come about as a result of forgetting who you are right at this moment.

What is your favorite color?

What is your favorite food?

What do you want for Christmas this year?

Basic questions beget basic answers, but they have the simple effect of realizing the things that make you truly happy. For me, it's my family, my girls, writing, and just enjoying good food and playing games together. That's what makes me happy. Everybody is different, so it's important to ask yourself these basic questions, and then redefine who you are. With the passing of each year, we change just a little bit, and it's easy to lose yourself completely if you aren't careful.

So, this Christmas year, enjoy the snow, don't think about the future or how you're going to afford that princess castle or new bike. Just live in the moment, which is why I've chosen to write this post right now, as a means of living and experiencing joy right now. I would encourage you to do the same this Christmas!

-C