Free

Ah yes, here I sit with a cup of hot Tazo Calm tea in my hand and my hubby's laptop on my lap. White Christmas is playing on our TV with my hubby snuggled in beside me. We just finished our third of four Christmases (Four Christmases anyone?) . We still have one more tomorrow and then we are done.

Chris and I couldn't help but feel so free this Christmas. Somehow it just seems more relaxed, different, just plain ole' free from past Christmases. We are free from anxiety, free from worry, free from fights. We just feel free. As we talked about it, we realized that we think it is because of how we handled Christmas this year. We didn't make it a BIG deal this year. Instead, we just decided to focus on each other, our two girls, and our families. We scaled back majorly on gifts, even for each other (which is tough on my hubby as his love language is gift giving). Partly because finances are tight, but also because we decided to truly accept this year that Christmas is not about the gifts, it is about Christ. You know what? I can honestly say, and I know he would agree with me, I didn't miss the gifts. As he pointed out to me yesterday, we can only remember a handful of gifts we have gotten each other for Christmas other years. It just isn't really important-it's just stuff. We don't NEED it.

I will forever remember this Christmas as being one of the best ever! Merry Christmas!

How about you? Did you decide to forgo lots of gifts and just focus on each other? Or are you still able to do that along with gifts?