When I was young, I remember Christmas vividly. I remember the decorations, the hot cocoa, the matching Christmas pajamas. I remember the cookies, Santa on a firetruck. I remember being so excited to wake up on Christmas morning and see what was under the tree... and jumping on my parents bed at the crack of dawn, ready to start, undeniably, the most magical day of the year.

Christmas, at 20, is different now. I now know that Santa Claus is not one person, but many people. And that as I get older, it is not my job to experience the Christmas magic fully-- it is my job to radiate that magic and give it to others. And maybe, if I'm lucky, I'll get a teeny bit of the leftovers. Christmas is about the children- the love we give them, the joy we share with them, the thoughtfulness we bring to them. It is not as much about the presents under the tree as it is about the people around it. As I have gone through life, I have realized now more than ever (and you should too) that people and their impact on your life is far more important than any gift you could ever receive. The presence of the people that matter to you is a present in itself-- because, life is short and not everyone is blessed enough to be able to spend Christmas surrounded by those that they hold dear. Not everyone is blessed to have a circle of people who hold them in such a high regard and love them so fiercely. I am so blessed to have the people in my life that I do, and making them smile around the holidays is my biggest source of Christmas cheer.

Christmas is not about the material things- it is about a child's wish to Santa Claus coming true, and them having faith in something bigger than themselves. It's about surrounding yourself with the smiling faces of the family and friends that you do not often see. It is about the child who smiles brightly with excitement as they give you the gift that they picked especially for you, because they "knew you would love it".

The Christmas trees, tinsel, mistletoe, carols, and gifts are all wonderful parts of the season, but at the end of the day,

How would we enjoy this blessed time of year if we didn't have people to spend it with, or love to spread?

Spreading love and being stewards of love is what matters not only during the holiday season, but every single day of the year. If we hold onto that mentality, and realize that we give is far much more rewarding than what we take, every day can be just as magical as Christmas.