Ideas on how to enliven the Christmas spirit.

After posting my disillusion with Christmas the other day, I have been trying to do things that will enliven my spirit and make the magic happen again. My children always help me at this time of year and other friends have had good suggestions also. My minister suggested some really good classic Christmas music aka The Charlie Brown Christmas Soundtrack, and when I get my new computer on Friday and get itunes reinstalled, I plan on purchasing it. The decorations are almost all up and they are very pretty, my children helped decorate the tree and merrily drank eggnog all day. I'll have to say the that I did get a little dose of merry when one of my twin girls brought me pumpkin eggnog. Yes, it's like drinking pumpkin pie, so yummy. My 3 year old is at the perfect age for Christmas, she believes in all things Santa and Mom and Dad and sisters and brothers. I have started teaching her about the birth of Jesus and how we celebrate Christmas because of Him. I love the way they believe everything at this age. The line between reality and pretend has not been deciphered yet. Some day it will come down to a question of Faith and I have no doubt whatsoever of what choice she will make. My large imagination as a child led me to the Faith I have now.
We live in hard stressful times and it's so easy to lose sight of what Christmas is. As the day draws closer, I am reminded in each and every way on why it's important to me. So I am compiling a list of things that make Christmas merry. Feel free to add to it if you like.

1. Pumpkin eggnog
2. It's a Marshmallow World by Bing Crosby.
3. A toddler who is in awe of all of it.
4. My kids, who think I'm the greatest cook who ever lived.
5. My husband, who won't let me give up and grow old.
6. For those out there, like me, who have lost the magic a little, but who won't give up on Christmas.
7. And also, to one of the greatest Christmas movies of all time, A Muppet's Christmas Carol. (If you haven't seen it, go watch it NOW!!!!!)