family and friends!

lots of gifts throughout the year......more than i can count!  our family is blessed......we have alot to be thankful for.......even the memories of family and friends that are gone......i believe they are with us everyday.......i believe they are our angels, who look out for us everyday...... and that's how i envision them at christmas time.......like my own private and personalized angels.

sometimes, i can feel them with me ........when i'm looking at our children and they give me a certain look.....they remind me of my mom or my dad, a special uncle.......sometimes when they give me an attitude.....i imagine how my mom would laugh it off when i told her about their behavior.......grandparents are more forgiving and understanding......they have been through it all........and mostly, survived.  sometimes our children will ask questions about our family or hear stories of growing up or stories of christmases "in the old days". our "old days".......we let our family and friends who we've lost live on through our stories..........one special friend of ours, from college, lives on everyday in my heart....through music.....and laughter and funny stories.

most of the people, so close to my heart, appear to me in everday moments......don't panic.....i don't have ghost sightings or hallucinations!  they come to me and make me laugh when i see a mom and a daughter laughing together, when i see a gentleman dressed to the nines, when i walk at the beach, or see some food in the grocery store.........so many little moments have been shared with our families and friends.

i'm sorry that they may not be here "live action", as our kids used to say, about movies that had real people and weren't animated.......but, they are here, in such fun ways.....in the moments and the stories......the laughter and even tears!.......but, funny enough, they are really happy........because of the wonderful memories.....because i share so many fun memories with our kids and friends and families!

christmas always brings back memories of cozy, warm christmases by the fire, singing around a piano, opening gifts, travelling to see friends and family, having friends and family visiting us..........

oh wait......that's just my memories......they have sweetened over the years.........some christmases had presents from hell,...regifts, of course, ...but that's another blog..... relatives....some other relatives

nasty employers....customers......money stress......travel.....bad christmas trees.......

thank goodness, my memories turn the not so fun times into something to laugh about......as time goes by.....or even the day after christmas.

i'm not perfect, christmases are not perfect, my family and friends are not perfect.........and that's why i love them.......alive and as angels.......they help me to laugh at myself......and they soften the tough stuff.....just stuff of life......they listen to me....i listen to them.......and we can't help but laugh.....at our seriousness........we are like mirror reflections........we are devils advocates and cheerleaders and make the hallmark moments snap back to reality......they keep us real.....they are honest with us and tell us like it is.....they sometimes have better memories than we do and help us fill in the blanks.

these are the best gifts of christmas.....my family and friends who keep me laughing, all year long.........with memories good and not so good.....my friends who are no longer here and my friends who are here, day in and day out!

those are my best presents......family and friends!  ...........who share so much joy!

merry christmas to family and friends!