Bring on the Magic

While watching Home Alone last night I wondered which Christmas memory a grown Kevin McCallister would cherish the most. I mean, the kid had two pretty fantastical Christmases but that doesn't necessarily mean either of those two were his favorite. Maybe his favorite was when he got the one special gift he'd pined for all year. Maybe it was one he spent alone on purpose and celebrated how he wanted to. Or maybe his favorite was when he first spent it with the woman he loved. We'll never know. He is fictional after all. But I started to wonder if I had a favorite Christmas or even a favorite Christmas memory.

Lst year Mike asked me to be his wife during Christmastime. That's my list topper for sure. But in terms of Christmases farther back nothing really strikes me. I have distinct memories that hold a special place in my heart. There was a Christmas Mass in which, as an alter server, I did something at the wrong time and had to stand in the middle of the alter until the right time, which wasn't soon. One year, my brother tried to guess what toy I got him and announced the item I got him was stupid. I also remember when I figured out that Santa and the Easter Bunny had the same handwriting and that handwriting looked suspiciously like my dad's. I once donated money to an animal shelter in my mother's name and she didn't understand what I did because she couldn't stop looking at the injured cat featured on the website.

Don't get me wrong. I was very fortunate to celebrate a Christmas every year and my parents worked really hard to make each year something special. My family was blessed and I'm eternally grateful for that. I suppose what I'm getting at is that I don't have my own "Christmas Story." What I do have is years and years of white Christmases filled with warmth and magic. The Christmas tree silhouetted against a fireplace. Silent snow fall. Random Christmas movies. These are the things I hold dear from Christmases past. I can't wait to see what's in store in Mike's and my future.