The Best Gift of All

Merry Christmas and a Happy New year to everyone.

Christmas has passed for another year, and I was thinking about all the gifts both given and received over the years.  All the toys and clothes and books.  All of the electronic things from cassette players to camera to computers and tvs.  Dolls and legos and trucks and "things for the house".  The silly stuff you don't need, and the things you hold near and dear.  All the boxes and paper and bows.  There are many wonderful gifts from throughout the years, but I think I have finally realized the best gift of all.

I have decided that the best Christmas gift that I ever gift is just spending time with friends and relatives.  I look back through my life and the things I remember probably more than the shopping and the gifts are the times spent with the relatives.  Going to my aunt's or grandparents house when I was a kid.  Having people over to the Misses and my place after we got married.  I think I have finally realized that the getting together with people is much better than stuff.

I wish that I would have learned this sooner, because as we get older, we lose people.  Parents, aunt and uncles, friends move on or pass away.  It is always sad when those we love are no longer with us, and it always seems rougher around the holidays.  You know, once they're gone, they are gone. 

So I try to spend as much time as I can with he family as I can.  The kids are home from school so that is nice (who knows how much longer that will happen!), and grammas in from Florida (a great sacrifice for her during this time of the year).  We don't really do too much, but just being together is nice.

Looking back I should have spent more time with the people and been less concerned with the stuff.  In the hurry up right now get it done world we live in, I find that I would prefer just to spend my time with my family and friends.  You just never know when the chance will come up again.