This year will be our son Max\u2019s first Christmas, and we\u2019re so excited for him to experience the delights of the holidays. His siblings, Avy and Jett, will have no trouble getting him into the spirit. They\u2019re seasoned veterans at this point, and theyknow that once Thanksgiving dinner is digested, it\u2019s time to start looking forward to Santa. Over that weekend, we always decorate the house as a family.<\/p>\n
I enjoy getting the house spruced up, but my favorite activity is hanging up ornaments on the tree. When I was growing up, my mom made unique ornaments every year. They would always be themed with a focus on self-improvement. I probably have 15 to 20 of them now. While decorating the tree, I find myself staring at the christmas ornaments my mom made each christmas season and reminiscing about family memories from my youth. Occasionally, my wife, Meredith, will catch me staring at an ornament, reminiscing about the past. She might even need to prompt me to hustle it along. After all, it seems there\u2019s always more decorating to do.<\/p>\n
Occasionally, my wife, Meredith, will catch me staring at an ornament, reminiscing about the past. She might even need to prompt me to hustle it along. After all, it seems there\u2019s always more decorating to do.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Watching my kids experience the holidays, I\u2019ve noticed a funny thing about how times change. Meredith and I introduced our kids to the classic Christmas movies \u2014 \u201cRudolph,\u201d \u201cFrosty the Snowman,\u201d etc. While the joy they experience from the movies is the same as it was when I was a boy, the way they find that joy is not. I remember my siblings and I would mark the calendars for the one time these movies would appear on TV. If we missed it, we had to wait another year to get a shot. These days, my kids watch them over and over. All they have to is hit play, and it\u2019s an endless loop of Christmas fun.<\/p>\n
To me, these simple pleasures are what the holidays are all about. With the little ones, we don\u2019t travel to Eastern Idaho for Christmas, so it\u2019s mostly a quiet time with our family. Sitting at home with a cup of hot chocolate in hand and watching them enjoy the festivities always puts a smile on my face.<\/p>\n
This year, the holiday atmosphere won\u2019t be limited to the office. The team at Eagle Dental Care will be putting up some decorations, and we\u2019re excited to share in the spirit of Christmas with our patients. Not to sound cheesy, but I receive a present every day in the form of being able to treat such an amazing group of people.<\/p>\n
I want to wish everyone reading this a merry Christmas and happy holidays. I hope you have the chance to enjoy your favorite traditions. But I will say that if we have just a touch less snow than last year, you won\u2019t find me complaining.<\/p>\n