It's all about the stocking

Every year at Christmas I find myself so busy and so overwhelmed by the season  (in a good way!)  that I find it hard to articulate my thoughts and feelings on this special time. Yet with the recent school shooting in Connecticut, little brother Collin on the other side of the world, and this tiny baby boy growing inside me, I feel like I have to write something, even if its a feeble attempt.

It all comes back to family doesn't it? Family and love for others. There are so many awful and wonderful reminders of this in the world right now. And experiencing all of these things during the Christmas holiday only seems to heighten my feelings. Being at home with family all cozy in front of the Christmas tree is so comforting to me.

Many of our Christmas traditions are still being worked out, because let's be honest Christmas is just better with kids (and I have big plans I tell you...BIG plans). However, we do have some good things going so far. One of my very favorites is our stocking tradition. Each year I find myself putting more and more thought and time into Jeff's stocking than anything else. I did some major research this year to find Coca-Cola Light (the Latin American version of diet coke) for Jeff's stocking. He absolutely loved it when we were in Costa Rica. I just couldn't bring myself to pay $20 for shipping one bottle. Yay for Christmas restraint.

There's just something about digging little, yet meaningful things out of that sock on Christmas morning that I absolutely love. Growing up I loved the stocking part of Christmas. Santa did a great job of always giving the standard things like an orange, storybook life savers, and a movie, as well as exciting little surprises and luxuries. Perfume, MAC eye shadows, iTunes gift cards, etc. are always more fun from a stocking. Even the simplest things become exciting.

Jeff and I open our stockings from each other first thing on Christmas morning while still in bed. It makes for a great way to start off the morning with just my lovey. We love to sort through the little items that have meaning only to us. Plus, some things I stuff in his stocking are for his eyes only :)