Christmas is magic - Stop telling me I'm doing it wrong

Christmas has arrived at our house. For me the season is full of magic, helped by millions of twinkly lights everywhere. Yet for some reason this year I feel like bunches of people are telling me I'm doing it wrong. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. I even think it's perfectly okay for your inner grinchyness to be put on display for the world to see. Feeling judged probably has a whole lot to do with me and nothing to do with anybody else. So today, I'm going to tell you how things roll at the Stone house.

This is our elf Teeny. He was a wonderful gift from my parents. He visits every year - though I confess he came a day late this year since his hiding spot from last year was really great. Teeny is not a naughty or even a very interesting elf. Sometimes he is super forgetful and comes back to the exact same spot as the day before. But he does report to Santa on all the goings on at our house and the kids enjoy to find him each morning.

Teeny and Santa are part of the magic of Christmas at my house. And until I'm dead (or completely crazy) I will continue to tell my kids that #1 Santa is real and #2 I still believe. Last year I had a heart to heart with my oldest about the "myth" of Santa. I told him that Santa is part of the magic of Christmas. He is not just one person. Sometimes he is a family bringing presents to someone who needs them. Sometimes he is in a hug or a smile. Sometimes he is in that one gift you wanted, but never thought you were going to get. That magic, the one of unending kindness, I hope will always exist. And be a big part of Christmas.

Because so much of the magic of Christmas is kindness and hope and charity and love for all, Jesus Christ is a big part of the season at our house. Hopefully He is a big part of everything we do at our house. Because He is not just the reason for the season. To me He is the reason for everything. He created the world in which I live. Through His Atonement I can find forgiveness when I screw up, comfort when I'm wronged, peace when I am afraid, and love when I'm imperfect. Because of His example, I know how to treat the people around me even when they don't agree with me or are unkind. Prayer, testimony, gratitude, forgiveness, peace, hope, and love are all part of the daily vocabulary in our home. This is important to me because every day I believe in Christ and want to be like him.

So when I stand in line for an hour an a half on Black Friday to get the very last half price printer the store has in stock, or when I keep checking the lightning deals on Thanksgiving while having wonderful conversation with my family or even when I tell my kids that Santa really truly exists I'm not forgetting why I celebrate Christmas.

In the end I don't think there is any wrong way to do Christmas. Go ahead have a naughty elf and clean up after him, or have no elf at all. Put your tree up the 1st of November, dread putting it up the 24th, or don't put one up at all. Tell your kids Santa is real, tell them it's you, tell them there is no such thing. Open a present on each of the twelve days or Christmas Eve. Give three presents, or five, or as many as you want. You are not doing it wrong, as long as what you are doing works for you.

May each of you find kindness, peace, joy, and love this holiday season. I know I'll be out there trying my best to help spread a little bit of magic, hopefully some finds you.