These photos are of my little blue tree and our Hanukah menorah and some of our snowmen. I decorate with snowmen all over the house.

This is one of my favorite times of the year, but this year will be different for me. When I married my Jewish husband over 37 years ago (celebrated our anniversary Dec. 9) we agreed to travel to Chicago every year to celebrate with my family. We had moved to Cincinnati, and have never had a tree, since we also agreed to celebrate Hanukah in our house and Christmas at Grandma's.

This year is different. Now I am Grandma and I have some children who have also intermarried and who now want to have their own Christmas. This year we are staying home in Cincinnati. I will miss my family in Chicago, but I look forward to celebrating Christmas in a new way.

We will be waking up in our house with all of my snowmen and blue and white lights. My little tree will represent the holiday, and we will have our annual Christmas Eve lasagna dinner. On Christmas day we will be with our daughter and son in law and son and daughter in law and our two granddaughters and our daughter in law's family. It will be wonderful, and we will experience the joy and happiness of the holiday.

As we grow older, life and holidays change. I love the lesson from A Course in Miracles I give everything all the meaning it has for me. For me Christmas meant love, family, food, gift giving and receiving, attending Mass with lots of singing ( especially with my Mom, who I used to say had the middle name Christmas because she loved it so much-Bless you Mom), and traveling the 5-6 hours to Chicago to celebrate with my parents, brothers and sisters, and our children.

Mom and Dad are gone now. My sister will still have dinner at her house and we will be there in spirit, but as with all things, this part of my life is changing.

The one thing that has not changed is that Christmas is about love, food, gifts, remembering the spirit of the holiday, and celebrating the peace and joy of the season.

May the special gifts of Christmas and the meaning you give it be joyful!

Happy Holidays,

Mary