Throwback Thursday: Holiday Highlights

Ah, the January blues. When finally the dust, or more appropriately, the glitter, has settled from the holidays, I find myself looking back at the whirlwind that was with both longing and contentment. The festiveness of December goes so fast each year, only to be replaced with cold, dark, sometimes snowy days. But keeping us warm are lots of memories from a magical holiday season. 

On this Throwback Thursday, I’m turning the calendar back just one page to last month – a month filled with much joy, laughter, and love. Here are my top ten memories from our Happy Holidays… I hope they bring you some warmth as well!

10. Bringing my son’s boy scout troop to carol at the nursing home. The delight on some of the residents’ faces to see a group of boys sing off key is worth it all.

 

  1. Cutting down our Christmas tree. I think my desire for a round tree went a step too far this year but it was certainly memorable!

 

  1. Having breakfast with Santa who brings all the children a little surprise toy as they sit on his lap.

 

  1. Visiting St. Patrick’s Cathedral to light a candle and say a special prayer. As a child, my mother would always drag us through St. Patrick’s Cathedral to say a prayer if we were anywhere in the vicinity of the beautiful church. I remember complaining as a small child and rolling my eyes at her as an teenager. Now that I have become a mother, as with many other previous eye-rolling tasks and events, I continue the tradition with my children to remind them how blessed we are and what the true meaning of the holiday season is.

 

6. Adult night out in New York City. Although the magic of Christmas is truly about the children, it is also import to take a little grown-up time for yourself and your spouse. Our annual ‘And the Winner Is’ dinner has become a tradition that I look forward to for months as we wait to see who made the best predictions for the past year and take another shot at predicting what is to come in 2015. The raviolis with truffles, the delicious wine, and the waiter’s opera-style serenade certainly seal the deal.

5. Watching my daughter’s brownie troop go grocery shopping together for the family that they sponsored for Thanksgiving. What a wonderful lesson for them in team work and compassion as well as a reminder of how blessed we are to have a bountiful Thanksgiving meal.

4. Seeing The Rockettes at Radio City’s Christmas Spectacular. Despite the fact that I’ve seen the show so many times that I can practically recite it at home, it never gets old to see the children’s faces light up with the March of the Wooden Soldiers.

 

  1. Santa’s visit through our backyard on December 23rd. Truly magical as he taps on our family room window to check on the children as the big day approaches. My friend was lucky enough to catch this shot of him since I wasn’t quick enough with the camera….

 

  1. Spending Christmas Eve and Christmas Day with all of our loved ones in perfect health. This year, in particular, I appreciate the importance of their presence and feel truly blessed.

 

  1. My favorite part of the holiday season was receiving cards and social media posts with the children dressed in Pennymeade. Having Pennymeade being part of all the special memories makes all of the madness during the Holiday season worth it.

Happy New Year and best of health to you and your family in 2015.

 

~Monica

 


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