Is Your Christmas Spirit Showing?

Reports from home say that the snow is FLEETING.

In Nashville, it’s too mild for snow to really stick to the ground, so nobody’s disappointed when it doesn’t show up.  But no snow in Canada?  Dang global warming.

My Twitter account is abuzz with both sides of the argument.  Some of my friends in Canada are gleeful and want the snow to stay away.  Others, the ones like me, are disappointed.  Canada = Winter = Snow = Christmas.

Personally, I’m desperately hoping to return home in a week to experience a SNOWY Christmas season with my friends and family.  For those of you who consider Christmas to be a just a money-grab, or over-commercialized chump-fest, there’s not much I can say to you.  For those of you who understand that there are many layers of Christmas for us to enjoy – the tradition, the family, the meals, the worshipping, the celebrating, the receiving, the giving – here is a Top SIX list of Ways To Boost Your Christmas Spirit this winter, pending the arrival of snow.

–

6. Buy a Santa Hat.

You can get cheap ones at Dollar Stores.  You can get beautiful ones online.  Wear these hats around anywhere, and you’ll literally (I’m serious) be shocked at the amount of genuine smiles they garner.  If you’re an adult, kids will laugh and sing.  If you’re a guy, trust me, the ladies think it’s adorable.  If you’re a girl … believe me, there is NO hotter thing than a girl in a Santa Hat.  Promise.

5. Play in the Snow

Remember when you were a kid and this was not only allowed, but EXPECTED?  A year ago, I had a full out snowball fight with my friends and WOW – was that ever intense.  Poor man’s paintball.  Put on a big jacket so the snowballs won’t sting, and go bananas.  Or find a kid and help them make a LEGIT snowman.  It’ll be the most kick-ass snowman on the block in their eyes.  Or play catch with your dog in the snow.  Hilarious.

4. Serve in the Snow

Christmas is about giving, and not just Wii games and socks.  Strap on some boots, put on a warm hat, and shovel the driveway.  Not just yours, but your parents’ or your neighbours.  Talk about a good way to build community.  If you have a snowblower, seriously, can we be friends?  If you don’t have a snowblower, shovelling is a really good time to be alone with your thoughts.  (Plus, the kids will love that you’ve just made big piles of snow through which they, and you, can dig tunnels.)

If you’re a pretty girl and hate the snow, the buy some hot chocolate and find a cute guy who’s shovelling snow.  Which brings me to my next point …

3. Enjoy the ROMANCE

Are you kidding?  Christmas is the most romantic time of year.  Sure, in the summer you get beach volleyball and pool parties and bikinis and cottage getaways, but during Christmas you get: watching Christmas specials on TV while cuddling, drinking hot chocolate while cuddling, exchanging gifts while cuddling, keeping her warm by cuddling, pretending he’s keeping you warm by cuddling … and the list goes on.

And if you’re single, go buy a Santa Hat and some hot chocolate and turn on the charm.

2. Sing the Songs

Aside from Hello Kelly’s 2 Christmas songs (which will be on our MySpace very soon) … there’s an endless supply of your favourite Christmas music and don’t even TRY to tell me that it doesn’t put a smile on your face.  Whether it’s Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You”, any of the classics by Frank Sinatra, or the fist-pumping ruckus from Relient K’s Christmas projects, listen to SOMETHING.

Some radio stations play Christmas music around the clock.  Websites like ProjectPlaylist.com or YouTube.com allow you to find virtually any version of any song and listen to it for free at your computer.

1. Go to Church

And of course, we can’t forget the reason for the reason.  Above all the romance and songs and snow, everybody knows (or SHOULD know) that the real motivation behind getting into the Christmas spirit is because God did first, and gave us such a precious gift – himself as a little baby, Jesus.  Um, KIND of a big deal.  Have you ever REALLY listened to the words of “Oh Come, Oh Come, Emmanuel”?  That stuff is INTENSE.

Even if you’re busy with family or work or friends, go to a Christmas service at church.  And then talk about the story with somebody so it doesn’t just fade into the rest of the Christmas rabble.  There’s no better way to get into the spirit than to let the spirit get into you.

–

There you have it.  Six ways to pump up the Christmas spirit in your life this Christmas season.

Hopefully it keeps snowing in time for my return to Ontario.  Until then, I’ll enjoy the green weather in Nashville.  Jealous?

–

francy