I've been thinking a lot about the Christmas question and answers I've seen in so many posts. One particular question has been stuck in my mind: Your favorite Christmas gift? There are so many gifts to choose from. I thought of the antique rocking chair, the pink doll cradle and the china tea set. I remembered countless dolls. I named them all. I dressed and undressed them, combed their hair, hugged them before going to sleep, spent hours playing with them. The farm set was a definite favorite. My first real cat, Sunshine, and later as a teenager, another cat named Kitty Blue. The Lane cedar chest, the birthstone ring, sweaters, skirts, a pair of white majorette boots with tassles. The list goes on and on because Christmas with my family has always been such a wonderful time of giving and receiving.

But to narrow the list to my very favorite Christmas gift seemed almost impossible until late one night it occurred to me that my absolute favorite gift, the most precious gift of all was years. The 19 years I had with my Grandpa T., the 29 years I had with my Grandma W., the 30 years I had with my Grandma T., the 36 years I shared Christmas with Grandpa W. and the 42 years I shared Christmas with my dad. Some of these years were spent physically far apart, but never were they not shared.

The sad thing about the gift of years is that sometimes the realization of how awesomely precious that gift is only comes when the gift is no longer received. The marvelous, happy thing about the gift of years is that you had all that time with people you loved in the first place. And all the experiences of those years are stored in the heart and soul.

So in this special season, I am so thankful for the gift of years that I am still receiving from those I hold dear and I am also thankful that I can give the gift of another year to those I love. I am thankful for the memories of gifts of the past and I look forward to the gifts of the future. Cherish each moment with those you love. The years are the true treasures of giving.

"The most vivid memories of Christmases past are usually not of gifts given or received, but of the spirit of love....the cherished little habits of the home....Christmas, my child, is love in action.....When you love someone, you give to them, as God gives to us. The greatest gift He ever gave was the person of His Son."