It was Christmas Eve and I was driving home from a business trip. As I was driving along a dimly lit highway, I saw a billboard for an electronic store. It read “Make this Christmas Special.” After seeing that, my mind started to wander. The same question kept popping in my head – “What makes Christmas so special to me?”
Is it the various different lights and decorations that people put up to jazz up their homes?
While these are nice, I was never one for decorations.
Is it receiving corporate Christmas cards at work? These Christmas cards always seemed to lift my spirits, but I don’t think they are the reason either.
Is it the warm apple pie or drinking eggnog? I don’t think this was it, as I don’t like the taste of either of these holiday classics.
Is it the holiday music on the radio? While I do like Christmas music, there is only so much a person can take.
Is it the chill in the air or snow on the ground? I’ve always been a warm weather person, so I don’t think cold weather gives my holiday spirit much of a boost.
Perhaps it is the thrill of shopping for gifts and surprising my loved ones? While I love to surprise people, sometimes the stress of shopping far outweighs the reaction you get.
As my mind continued to wander, I slowly pulled into my driveway. I was gathering my bags when I noticed my wife peeking out the front window (she always gets nervous and anxious when I travel). I stopped in my tracks and recalled the question I was pondering just a few minutes ago in the car. I recognized that it wasn’t the food, the business Christmas cards, or even the gifts that made Christmas so special. It’s spending time with the people you love.