More Than Words by Nikki

I know what you are thinking, You love the holidays we get it. You are practically an elf and have syrup running through your veins. It’s true. Which is why I hate December 26th. It is by far my least favorite day of the calendar year. All of the joy I squeeze into the prior 25 days comes to a halt the moment you shut your eye on Christmas night. So you have two choices. You can be sad and bummed that you have to wait 365 days till next Christmas or you can be like Buddy the elf and follow the first rule in the code of the elves. Treat every day like Christmas.

Why do we have to wait for Thanksgiving dinner to be over to start living our lives filled with holiday spirit? Why can’t we find ways to bring a little joy into the lives of others at random times throughout the year? What’s stopping up from spreading cheer by singing loud for all to hear on say January 12th or August 15th?

This time around I refuse to let a day like the 26th tell me it’s time to end the fun. Yes at some point the “Christmas lights” will come down and the tree will go back to the garage. We will eat on plain dishes once again. But that will happen while I sing a song joyfully looking forward to all the wonderful things heading our way in the coming days and months between now and next Christmas. The spring adventures, the new assignments, the summer holidays and swimming parties with friends, the fall festivities and then its Christmas once more. The years fly by and I don’t know about you but I want to enjoy every moment of the year as much as I enjoy the 25 days leading up to my favorite one. I did exactly that today, instead of being bummed about the 26th I spent time with my sweet kids and had the pleasure of spending a few hours talking to one of my favorite people in person for the first time in over a year. It made today not only good but amazing.

So as we start a new year. I set a challenge before you, to find the excitement and joy of the holidays in every day. Even if it’s in the smallest way. So do it, create six inch ribbon curls on all your birthday presents, make smiling your favorite and put syrup in your coffee. Channel your inner elf and start preparations for next Christmas right now and take that spirit with you this year.