"It's beginning to look a lot like CHRISTMAS!!!"

Ok...so maybe it ISN'T beginning to look a lot like Christmas! It has been in the 50s, some rain, and a little bit of snow on the top of the mountains. It really doesn't feel much different than when I celebrate Christmas in the panhandle of Texas...but I am Switzerland for goodness sakes!!! You know I would much rather spend my time in the sun on the beach than doing anything involving snow...so I am quite pleased with the whether...but people here are going crazy!!!!

I did enjoy going to Geneva last Saturday though. I felt like I was actually in the midst of the "hustle and bustle." There were people shopping everywhere, street performers, chestnuts roasting on an open fire:-), Christmas market venues...it was a delight! I have always spent Christmas in small places...so it was fun to enjoy Geneva that day!

I always have very fond memories of Christmas growing up. Enjoy the memories below! If you have any fun Christmas memories please comment below!!!

*I come from a very close nit extended family on my mom's side. We have spent every Christmas with them (unfortunately not this one). I wish they could all transplant here! We have our traditions of a Christmas dinner and then all seven of us grand kids opening up our big Santa bag of Christmas presents from "Meme and Papa."Of course after singing happy birthday to Jesus and eating a bday cake. There was a request this year that we wouldn't do that anymore...ha! We are a fun and crazy family going a million different places that night, I am sure if you were someone looking inside the living room window you would wonder if we had just moved from a lost tribe in Africa! Last year we all went around and said what we are thankful for. It was a consensus that we are all thankful for how our family is built on Christ and His promises. In our different ways, all 15 of us treasure our personal relationship with Christ. It is remarkable and rare!

**From a very early age I was involved in a Christmas production at my church in Grand Island, Nebraska. It is called the Singing Christmas Tree! It is a drama and musical of the birth and Resurrection of Christ. People come from all over the United States to see it! I have formed some of my greatest friendships there. I was recently in the wedding of a friend, her and I were "sisters" in a sheppard family for one of the scenes. To this day we refer to each other as "sis" when we email, phone or see one another! I remember the cold bus rides from our old church to the new one for the night of the productions. The dark makeup we would have to put on to seem "Jewish" I guess. We would have wonderful food catered in each night...it was always a contest of who could guess what we were having one night. There was always a competition of whether the drama or choir was better! All the kids would line up again the wall upstairs to feel the "thunder" during the Resurrection scene....then we would go back to our craziness of playing games! I loved finding out what part I would play each year! One of my fave years was when my dad played the leading role (other than Christ...ha!). He was the narrator...of Paul I think! Sorry, I can't remember. Anyway, it was amazing to see the transformation his life went through because of his role...let alone watching how others came to know the story of Christ in a new way because of this production! O, there are so many memories within the walls of that church and this production! I hope all of you that can will go see it, and those of you that are in it enjoy it and make tons of memories! http://www.giefc.org/singingtree/singingtree.php

*I love the way my house in Grand Island feels at Christmas. My mom is very good at cleaning so our house is always clutter and dust free. It makes a great space for a beautiful tree (even if we argue over the color scheme! She also always chooses the best candles for the season...and makes potpourri with such great smells. I had to go buy a candle the other day...it smells like my house!!!!! My dad also lines our driveway with beautiful lights. And remember a classy house only contains white lights (sorry for those of you that love the different colors!). I love the sound of my dad on top of the house walking around as he puts the lights up. He also does such a great job with all the greenery (or garland). He puts it on our stair banisters and on our front porch! O and who could forget the sausage balls!!!!! Every Christmas morning I wake up to the smell of good home cooked sausage balls!!!!

*O, and of course all of the Christmas music! I always made myself wait to listen to Christmas music on my seven hour road trip home for Thanksgiving from College! I am always adding to my selection if you have any suggestions!

*One of my fave Christmas memories is going through the catalogues and Christmas adds in the newspaper and circling everything I want! You know you will never get it all, or even half of it...but for some reason there is a thrill I have doing that!

*My senior year of college my roommates came up with the best birthday gift ever for me. I walked in from work on my birthday and waiting for me was wonderful Christmas music playing, warm potato soup, wine and champagne, and then of course, Christmas decorations waiting to be put up!!!! We even did a gingerbread house!!!!! One year for Christmas we bought each other a TV...OK, so it ended up us all chipping in and buying a TV...but it was worth it! Many episodes of the OC and Grey's! Christmas was always followed by Jterm. I only spent one Jterm living with my roomies in the Georgia house! Now that was an experience...much fun and many memories!!!! Holiday season was the best though with these girls..lots of hustle with exams, but beneath it all little did we know we formed very rare and valuable relationships

*Alas, to finish it off (leaving out so many great memories for lack of space and I don't want to bore you) I am loving what I am learning during this specific Christmas. I have really been able to focus on the birth of Christ and what that means for you, me, the world today, to come and the world that was! Stay tuned for a post of what I am learning!

Please comment with any of your fave Christmas memories...or email them to me! I will post them for you!