There is no month quite like the month of December. Something in the air changes once Thanksgiving has come and gone and the Christmas season officially begins. Walking down the street or driving around your neighborhood becomes a spectacle of bright lights and holiday cheer. The meaning of this month transcends the tinsel-wrapped garland and the pictures with Santa. This time of year is truly the most wonderful time of year because of the love shared among those around you. The magic of this season is not the packages wrapped in ribbon under the tree, but the memories made that will mean more than any store bought package. Whether it’s spending the days in the kitchen sharing stories and treats or around the fire listening to your favorite Christmas songs, this season is unlike any other.

Sometimes the true meaning of the season becomes blurred among the festivities of the holiday season. The shopping and wrapping becomes the first thing on everyone’s mind. The food and decorations are at the top of every to-do list. Most often this season is a time of rushing. Rushing to take advantage of the Black Friday sales or hurrying to get the next errand checked off the list. This season comes only once a year. And it is essential for each person to slow down and enjoy the season while it is here. Treat each person you meet with the joy and cheer that comes with the Christmas season each and every day.

The air that comes of Christmas time can be summed up as one word: magical. There is something that changes in each of us as the Christmas season arrives. Perhaps it is the joy of time spent with the ones we love or the excitement of the arrival of a new year, but either way the month means something different and equally special to everyone. The anticipation of being surrounded by those we love, whether traveling near or far. Reminiscing of Christmas’ past and preparing for the new memories to be made, brings about a unique sense of holiday cheer that is unparalleled to anything else.

There is a quote from one of the very best Christmas movies of all time, “The Polar Express," which perfectly illuminates the importance of the Christmas season. The quote is as follows, “The true spirit of Christmas lies in your heart.” What really matters this Christmas holiday, and as we enter into the New Year, is the love and joy that you carry in your heart for others each and every day, no matter the season. Treat everyone around you with the true spirit of Christmas, 365 days a year.