What was the best Christmas you can remember?

[LuckyCharms]

6. Mine had nothing to do with gifts...

It's not that I "dislike" receiving gifts...it's just that I would rather give them than receive them. I do not know why I am like this.

So my best Christmases have to do with people.

A house full of 20 to 30 people. Inviting people over that you are only acquaintances with, because I knew they would otherwise be alone at Christmas.

Alcohol being served, but nobody got drunk or obnoxious.

Delicious pastries. Fresh brewed coffee. Amazing food both cooked at home and brought by guests.

I would write stupid Christmas song lyrics that were pretty funny, and stand in the center of the room and sing them to the guests.

Full-on Christmas decorations. Good conversation. Laughter.

People die over the years, and the parties get smaller and smaller, until eventually, they don't really exist anymore.

So now, I give gifts to new people that have joined my life along the way. If I know someone is lonely or having a hard time at Christmas, I contact them and tell them I am thinking about them. If I know someone needs something fixed, i make a special effort to go and fix it for them.

This is how I cope with the holiday blues instead of dwelling on who is gone...I try to make new memories. New and different memories.