Last month in Malawi a few of us compiled a list of 100 things that bring me joy…our squad Christmas-fanatic Jessica Smith deviated from the task a bit compiling a list of “100 things about Christmas that bring me JOY”. Her enthusiasm for such a thing led several of us to do the same. [So…without further adieu, in no particular order…]
1. Hale tree farm
2. Setting up the manger dad built when we were little
3. Garland
4. Wrapping gifts for anyone/everyone with lots of curly ribbon
5. Hot chocolate w/mini-marshmallows
6. Christmas bows
7. Ornaments (especially the old glass ones)
8. Finding Charlie the cat in the tree
9. Candy canes
10. Stringing Christmas lights
11. Driving or walking around town to look at lights
12. Singing carols
13. Christmas Eve service
14. O Holy Night
15. SNOW!
16. O Come, O Come, Emmanuel
17. Christmas cards…hanging them along the doorway
18. Candles
19. Baking goodies with Mom, Annie + Grace
21. The smell of pine
22. Skiing with the family
23. Sledding
24. Homemade fudge
25. Secret santas
26. Zbylut family Christmas breakfast
27. Christmas Eve gatherings with the Ramos clan
28. The fireplace
29. Hanging the same stocking Auntie Missy made us years ago
30. Nutcrackers
31. Candy-cane oreos
32. The Grinch
33. School plays depicting comical holiday moments
34. Snow angels
35. White-elephant exchanges
36. Building snowmen with Sherri + Jess
37. Mistletoe
38. Carol of the Bells – TransSiberian Orchestra
39. The angel at the top of our tree
41. Black Friday adventures with sisters
42. Sugar-cookie candles
43. $1 store
44. Frosty the Snowman
45. Christmas cartoons (the classics)
46. ABC family movies
47. Wool socks
48. Counting down til’ Christmas
49. Knitting scarves
50. Popcorn
51. Cuddly blankets
52. Christmas pajamas picked out by Mom
53. Grandpa Zbylut’s pancakes
54. Santa-pops
55. Curling ribbons
56. Icicles
57. York Peppermint Patties
58. Salvation Army bell-ringers
59. Aunt Jen’s peanut-butter balls
61. Dancing with relatives + laughing at Papa’s jokes
62. Dressing up with my sisters…yes, even though we’re all grown up.
63. Worshipping together with guitars/voices + the Christmas story
64. Grandma Ramos’s “Happy Birthday Jesus” cake
65. Fresh powdery snow
66. Winter Carnival time
67. New York City
68. Downtown Sussex, New Brunswick
69. Jingle bells
70. Santa-hats
71. Christmas wreathes
72. Yankee candles that smell like “Christmas”
73. Snowmobile rides (remembering Uncle Joe pulling us as kiddos with a wooden crate)
74. Christmas music on the radio/in stores
75. Constructing gingerbread houses with the little cousins
76. Sleigh-rides + bells
77. Bing Crosby + Frank Sinatra
78. Charlie Brown’s Christmas
79. The tree skirt…and it’s many comical uses.
81. Guessing what Grandma Z put together for Christmas with Sherri
82. Poinsettias
83. Operation Christmas Child
84. BBC Campus
85. Christmas Light Parades
86. M&M cookies
87. The colors: red, green + silver/white together
88. Chocolate covered cherries (homemade by the Lunn family)
89. Nativity
90. The Living Christmas tree programs at churches
91. “Home Alone”
92. Christmas songs + cocoa with PLC and Prez
93. “Christmas at the College”
94. Auntie Missy’s creative gifts
95. Decorating
96. Northern Maine wintry weather…and sometimes getting snowed in.
97. Laying in the snow beneath the Christmas lights
98. Family Christmas cards
99. Shopping with Mom…and scheming up ways to creatively bless people.
100. the JOY in celebrating LIFE with CHRIST!
…so that’s a start…I’ll likely have more things to add after delighting in this Christmas here in Mozambique. In the meantime…love, love Christmas LOVE to all you faithful blog readers!!
