It is very hard to believe that Christmas is this weekend. How did that happen? Although Christmas comes at the same time each year, it sure seems that when I was a child it took forever to get here. Now with the blink of an eye it’s that time of year again.

It is no secret that Christmas is my favourite time of year. There are so many things that I love about the season. I love all of the hustle and bustle. I love watching everyone get into the spirit of the holidays. I love entertaining and hosting get-togethers. I love searching for the perfect gifts for my loved ones. But most of all I love spending time with my family. There really is nothing better than that to me.

I am truly blessed to have a five-year-old nephew, a one-and-a-half-year-old niece and an 11-month-old niece. They really are the light of our lives. My sister, her husband and my niece are coming to spend Christmas with us this year. I am very excited to be able to share in my niece’s first Christmas with them. It really is such a special milestone and I can bet, although my niece won’t understand what Christmas is all about just yet, that she’ll be in there ripping paper and having a ball.

My other niece and nephew are at such great ages. They are so much fun and bring so much joy to Christmas. It is so great to see their faces light up when they open up their gifts and can’t wait to put their toys together. It really is the happiest of times.

There are a few things that always get me into the Christmas spirit – holiday cups from my favourite local coffee places, Christmas music and The Singing Christmas Tree concert at Deer Park Alliance Church. My mom and I have gone to The Singing Christmas Tree for a few years now and it is honestly a performance I look forward to every year. I love that there is always a message in the concert each year and that message is what the true meaning of Christmas is – the birth of Jesus Christ.

Yes, it is easy to lose sight of that when you’re fighting for a parking spot at the mall, rushing around getting those last minute gifts, or indulging in a few too many treats – but The Singing Christmas Tree is always a really good reminder of the true meaning for me and it starts the holiday season off right.

I also recently saw a few carolers going from house to house in my neighbourhood spreading their holiday cheer when I was taking my pup for a walk. It really brought tears to my eyes because it was so beautiful to watch. And caroling is becoming somewhat of a lost tradition in my eyes.

I can remember caroling with my family around our neighbourhood in Anders when I was growing up. We went with a few family friends who came along and it was such a great time. Afterwards we went back to our house and had hot chocolate. Even the simplest of memories can be some of the fondest.

I also remember singing Away in A Manager while my mom played the piano. This all began when I was quite young, maybe in Kindergarten. I loved this song and I would sing it over and over and over. Now, when I sing the tune in my head, I always sing it in a little high-pitched voice – just like I used to.

Before we know it Christmas will have come and gone. It’s so important to cherish time with our family and friends and make new memories we can reflect back on in future years. After all, this is really what life is all about.

efawcett@reddeerexpress.com