Getting Closer

There are certain seasons of the year that I don't immediately connect with when they arrive. Autumn, for instance, is a lovely season, but as it always blends so surreptitiously with summer I often don't recognize its presence. I have to find it. This year I discovered autumn while running down 9800 south with my little sister. We were nearing the end of our 7.5 mile run (Crazy, I know. My 14 year old sister does it with me. She's a rockstar) when we ran directly into seemingly endless piles of crunchy leaves. I challenge anyone to run through seemingly endless piles of leaves and not exit the experience relishing the Fall season. I found Autumn and from that day on I reveled in every cup of apple cider, pumpkin decoration and crisp autumn morning.

In the same vein, I go looking for Christmas every year. Even surrounded by sometimes inane Christmas tunes (i.e. "Christmas Shoes"), a rapidly approaching school break, and Christmas shopping I still struggle to find the true feeling of the season--the excitement, the gratitude, etc. To counteract this unfortunate situation, I try to engage in as many Christmas-y activities as possible. And I think its working--I definitely feel closer to discovering Christmas this year.
Walking around Temple Square and looking at the lights--and the crowds of excited people--was a start last weekend. I finished up a good portion of my Christmas shopping and that definitely moved me closer to my goal. Yesterday I think I finally got a real taste when I purchased my Christmas wrapping paper (a personal favorite Christmas activity), visited the Festival of Trees, and ate Christmas sugar cookies*. This week my plan is to take in at least two Christmas movies, read Christmas stories every night and maybe even wrap a gift or two. I have no doubt that I'll have grasped the full spirit of Christmas 2008 before too long.

And that's worth celebrating.

*I didn't engage in the actual making of the cookies--beyond frosting one for myself to eat. That delicious job was graciously handled by Cami and Brynn. So good!