It's called CHRISTmas for a reason

The presents have been opened, the wrapping paper has been picked up, the anticipation of waiting to find out what was wrapped up under the tree is now long gone, and as I sit here typing this blog entry and thinking about my own Christmas today, I can not help but think how I really did not care so much about presents this year. I think that is a sign that I am getting older. Do not get me wrong, I mean I do enjoy opening presents, but it was not as much fun for me this year as in past years. As I sit here thinking about what my favorite part of my Christmas celebration was this year, without a doubt I have to say that it was attending Midnight Mass last night. That was the only time I really felt the joy of Christmas. I think that my family, or at least some members of my family, have forgotten how Christmas is about Jesus, and not about material things.

I was a little sad last night though because my younger brother refused to attend Midnight Mass with the rest of the family... he was just to tired. I missed having him there with us, but as my dad always says, you can lead the horse to water, but you can not make it drink it... I have to remember that because if I think to much about how a lot of my family takes their faith for granted and does not really appreciate it as much then it will make me go mad. I also have to remember that with my brother you can not tell him to do something. No. That is not how he works. If you ask him to do something or tell him to do it he usually will not listen. It works much better if you find ways to trick him into thinking it was his idea in the first place, which I am pretty good at half of the time. I am too impatient for it to work the other half... So instead of attending Midnight Mass, he woke up and went this morning...

While my dad and brother were at Mass this morning, my mom turned on E.W.T.N. and Mother Angelica was on. She was asking people to call in with ideas on how different families keep Jesus at the center of Christmas. One woman called and said that her family always wakes up and prays a rosary before they begin to open presents. I remember as a kid that my parents would have us all wait in their room and then we would sing "Oh Come All Ye Faithful" with a candle lit as one of us kids took turns placing baby Jesus in the manger scene before we opened up presents... Funny thing is how I just realized that since my brother and father were gone this morning we did not do our normal little tradition. I wonder if not starting our Christmas morning that way is what threw this particular Christmas off for me...
My sister is now waiting for me to play her in a rematch of Rummy (I won this morning... my sister is kind of a sore loser that way...) so wish me luck!
Merry Christmas everyone!!!!