So we made it.
All these months of planning, decorating, shopping, wrapping, and making lists—then checking them twice for family, friends, and whoever else we love enough to squeeze onto our Christmas radar. It’s kind of crazy when you think about it… the amount of work we put in to make the holiday just right.
But here’s the truth no one wants to say out loud:
It’s not going to go perfect.
And honestly? That’s okay—because the things that don’t go as planned usually make the best stories later on.
As I get older, I realize Christmas comes to us in seasons. When you’re a kid, it’s all magic and awe, soaking in every light, song, and cookie like it’s all brand new. For me, those childhood memories look like sitting at the Living Christmas Tree with my grandparents… then watching my own kids experience that magic years later at Northwoods.
And of course, stockings.
I’ve always been an avid stocking person—thanks to my grandma who practically invented the “oversized sack of goodies” before it was a thing. It became such a big part of our family tradition that my kids knew stockings were fair game first thing. And let me tell you… they didn’t play around.
Jacob used to fake being asleep, peeking through the top slats of his bunk bed, probably timing out the exact moment those stockings were unattended. Hot Wheels have always been tucked inside, and somehow that tiny little tradition still gets a smile out of them today.
But somewhere in all those memories, a question hit me:
Are we creating a decorated season… or are we creating the magic of the season?
Because it’s not the bows, lights, or Pinterest-perfect trees that make Christmas meaningful.
It’s the personal touches—the silly traditions, the things we think “don’t matter,” the memories we don’t even realize we’re building until years later.
This morning all my kids were here—older now, in different stages of life, but still making time to come home. And I don’t care what sits under the tree… this was the greatest gift I could ever open. We’re not waking up at 5 a.m. anymore, but those stockings? They haven’t changed one bit. And it’s still the first thing they go for.
My heart was full watching them laugh, tease each other, be silly, be themselves. Then, just like every season, the day feathered out. Jacob headed to his girlfriend’s. Sarah and Dylan began prepping the magic camper for their Arizona trip. The house grew quieter—well, except for Bekah, so not totally quiet—but peaceful in a way only Christmas afternoon can be.
And in that peace, I was reminded of something important.
Every year we get so wrapped up in the hustle—the gifts, the lists, the shopping, the planning—that we forget the greatest gift ever given:
A relationship with God.
It sounds simple. Maybe cliché to some.
But no amount of “stuff” will ever fill the places in us that only God can.
If you’ve read my stories, you’ve seen how God has worked in my life, how He’s blessed me more than I honestly deserve, and how He’s carried me through season after season—especially the ones that didn’t go as planned.
So if you’re feeling lost this year…
If you’re searching for the “right gift”…
If something in your heart is tugging at you…
Ask Jesus into your life.
It will be the best decision you ever make—better than any wrapped present, better than any decorated tree, better than any moment we try to manufacture.
Because when everything else fades, He is the one gift that lasts.
Merry Christmas, my friends.
May your season be filled with magic, memories, and the peace only God can give.
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