As some of you many know, I am all about Christmas. For those of you who don't know, I am basically a Christmas crazy person. I have ugly Christmas sweaters, socks and jammies, reindeer antler headbands, Christmas music on repeat after Halloween, and many other seemingly crazy things.

Until recently I had no idea why I loved this time of year. I had always attributed my passion for Christmas to enjoying all of the festivities, decorations, and overall good attitudes. However, I have finally realized why I love Christmas with an inexplicable passion: my Grandma.

Two and a half years ago my grandmother on my mom's side passed away. She was such a strong, beautiful lady who had a passion for cooking, hosting, decorating, and gardening, among many other things. She was someone who liked things “just so” and that extra effort made things nicer, tastier, more beautiful and just better. I realized this year as I was helping Grandpa set up the Christmas tree and all the other Christmas decorations that I have learned almost everything I know about Christmas from her.

Grandma did not have just one Christmas tree either. She, of course, had two. She didn’t just hang a wreath on the front door but on every door leading outdoors. Did Grandma put a swag over her front door? Sure she did! But she also put one on the entertainment center,the fireplace mantle, this door, that door, with lights and ornaments and a story to go with each and every little wooden nutcracker and crimson cardinal adorning the house. You see, setting up Grandpa’s tree didn’t involve only a tree -- it was a huge production that involved cousins, aunts and uncles and an overseeing Grandpa reminiscing with a sweet, nostalgic smile as we converted his beautiful home to a Christmas wonderland. We all contributed to the decorating but it lacked that fine touch that was Grandma’s.

Over the years I recall the many different occasions where Grandma would teach me how to do something "properly" like setting the table for Christmas with that extra bit of pizzazz or how to hang the beads on the Christmas tree with the proper drape. Christmas, I realize, was the perfect time to learn all sorts of things from her. I see her now in the way I use tape to do a flower arrangement in a vase for the table, or when I crack an egg to make one of the recipes from her cookbook for Christmas dinner. I see and feel her guidance through me every single time I hang an ornament and fluff the branches of the Christmas tree.

It makes me sad to know that the lessons stopped that January when she passed away, but the lessons I have learned from her are things that I will carry with me for the rest of my life. I hope that someday I can touch the lives of my grandchildren through simple little lessons like she did for me because then they too can feel her presence guiding them just like I can each and every day.