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Family: Thankful for the moments to remember

Christmas 2017 is over!
9929921_web1_Mielke

Christmas 2017 is over!

After all the hurry up and go days filled with shopping, baking and decorating, the big day has come and gone.

Wow! It’s hard to believe.

But, somehow, even though we can do it only in our head, its nice to put the brakes on the time capsule that is hurtling towards 2018, and reflect on the Christmas season of the past.

My goodness, it seems like only yesterday it was Christmas. Actually, that’s probably because it was.

They say you don’t remember days, only moments. I believe that to be true.

For me Christmas, 2017 offered lots of moments to remember.

Moments, now simply cherished memories to be wrapped up like the most precious of Christmas gifts.

Of course there were other moments, too. Moments of complete and utter frustration, exhaustion and worry. Those moments are really not worth keeping alive for 10 minutes, not even 10 seconds.

Part of Christmas is giving. And the golden rule of giving is it is a good thing. In fact it’s even better to give than to receive.

I truly believe that.

Mostly.

But, I’m only human after all, and sometimes my halo of generosity slips every now and then, even during the season of giving.

As a young mom, I was always worried that the Santa my kids believed to be true would be too broke to give them everything on their wish list.

Lots of time he/she was.

But, despite my worries, the kids seemed to have escaped mostly unscathed from a lot of childhood trauma my worried young self conjured up.

And now it seems they are happily giving back.

One of my most special moments of 2017 was a rather excited announcement from a very dear friend after we had just enjoyed a lovely supper at my home, “Treena, there’s a limo parked in your driveway.”

“What!” I said, looking down ruefully at my bare feet and blue jeans. “Maybe he’s lost,” I suggested, almost hopefully.

As it turned out the driver was not lost but was hired by our son to take his parents and a couple of special friends on a special tour to see the beautiful Christmas lights of Sylvan Lake and Red Deer.

Once I learned the limo was, indeed, waiting for us, I quickly rummaged through my sock drawer, looking for socks that matched and grabbed my almost clean white winter jacket out of the hall closet.

Let the fun begin!

And, as the driver graciously opened the door, I momentarily forgot I was me, convinced I was royalty, or at the very least a movie star, who had stepped off the screen instead of out of the kitchen.

Entering the limo was like entering a strange, exotic world of soft leather and sparkling glasses and plush interior all softly lit by little starlights strategically placed in the limo’s roof.

Christmas music wafted gently through the air.

“Wow!” I said to no one in particular as I found myself sinking gratefully back into the unaccustomed luxury.

The limo ride, the sparkling lights and the excitement is but a memory now.

But it’s a memory that I certainly plan to take with me into the New Year and many more years to come.

It really is better to give than to receive.

But, truly, there are exceptions!

Treena Mielke is the editor of the Rimbey Review. She lives in Sylvan Lake.