Winter times

Christmas (and winter in general) is a beautiful time of year. Snow on the ground, in the trees, and on the roofs of houses. Everywhere you look a "Kodak moment" awaits. I love driving through my neighborhood and seeing Christmas trees lite in the front windows, families sitting around the tale, kids playing outside just happy to have a few weeks off from school. But winter also brings painfully cold winds, red faces and sniffles to everyone's nose. Don't get me wrong I do love winter time but after a few weeks I can't help but to picture myself tanning in the Caribbean.

Being Jewish, you can't help but want to partake in Christmas traditions every year. Yes, we get 8 days of presents during Hanukkah but as Jews we are the minority and instead of waking up early to open presents, ecstatic to see how many gifts are under the beautifully decorated tree, we go to Chinese restaurants and see a movie because those are the only things open. Yes Christmas is commercialized. Yes some people don't celebrate Christmas for the religious reasons but the traditions families enstill are wonderful. The big meal, family, friends, what more can you ask for. People travel far and wide (and hopefully don't get snow delays) to see family. They buy last minute gifts, spend time wrapping everything and then in the morning have quality family time. I must say I am a little jealous every December 25th.

I have spent Christmases with family, getting to open gifts that were under the tree, and even once my cousin and I swore we heard reindeer on the roof. But today I went to a friends house, they have a 4 year old and a newborn. I got to spend some time with Brietta, the 4 year old and the innocence of a child is priceless.  Watching her open presents was a BLAST she was so excited for each one and really looked at all of her gifts, saying thank you to everyone for giving them to her. She was so sweet wanting to play with each one as we opened them with her. This day alone makes me want to marry someone Christian, just to have these days, with such innocence from children, still believing that an old bearded man comes through with his reindeer and delivers gifts if you were nice all year. This is the one day out of the year I wish I celebrated Christmas

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas with their family and friends. The one day of the year where you turn the news on and you see smiling children and happy families without news of war, or crime.

This is me with  the cutest 4 year old, Brietta after opening her Christmas presents.