A simply sweet Christmas

This Christmas was one of simplicity, perspective, and sweet blessings.  And it was the best ever.

After receiving hospital bills and some unexpected dental work bills, Tim and I had a conversation earlier in the month of what Christmas was going to look like this year.  We decided we'd put our budget toward the experience of Christmas -- nice Christmas dinner and breakfast, gifts for kids, and Giving Tree gifts -- and that we'd save any ideas we had for each other for Valentine's.

Having a conversation about finances around the holidays has the potential to be quite the buzz kill. Especially since gift giving is a way I love to show people I love and care about them.  And for some days leading up to Christmas, I worried about what our Christmas scene would be like come the morning of.  The days leading up to Christmas came and went and with each passing day it seemed as though we received a card or a package in the mail.  By the morning of December 25th, I was overwhelmed by the love wrapped in packages that laid underneath our tree.  It was a beautiful reminder of how truly blessed we are with incredible friends and family.

And so material things were set aside this year.  Tim and I spent the afternoon in the kitchen on Christmas Eve making pierogi from scratch and had a lovely candle lit dinner before midnight Mass. We kept up our annual tradition of indulging in a 2AM serving of coffee cake when we got home. We got up on Christmas morning and watched Ella experience Christmas and gave thanks for having another little one who couldn't be cuter.  Family came over later in the day for dessert and watching the cousins run around together seemed to make Christmas complete.  Tim and I talked about what we thought our Christmas's would look like 5 years from now and wondered what new traditions we'd have.

When Christmas night came, we both agreed it was our best Christmas.  There's something so beautiful about the young newlywed years.  Tough decisions are made, tough conversations are had.  We sacrifice and we budget.  These years can strip us of all the unnecessary and excess and can remind us that having each other, family and friends are the only gifts we need.