Do you remember anxiously anticipating marriage so much that you prayed for the Lord to delay His return until you had the chance to find your true love and tie the knot?  You knew marriage was a great plan from God and you couldn’t wait for the opportunity, even if you felt totally selfish or guilty.  Now I always enjoyed Christmas while growing up, the lights, the decorations, the Christmas Eve service at our church and of course the gifts.  However, marriage, having a way to make all things better, has increased my joy and anticipation of this wonderful celebration due to the fact that I married a Christmasaholic.  I’ll prove it.

For Mary, purchasing gifts begins almost a full 12 months earlier at the post Christmas sales (even if she can’t find some of those gifts when the next Christmas rolls around).  It’s pretty normal for me to start hearing Christmas music played from the kitchen around the end of September.   By October, one of our bedrooms becomes commandeered as the official “Christmas room” with every square inch covered in boxes, bags, ribbon, bows and wrapping paper.   In November, fall decorations disappear to make room for Christmas…stuff.  In December, the tree is decorated and the outside lights make their debut including my favorite, the Moravian star.  Fortunate for my wife and unfortunate for others, Hallmark begins showing nightly (or what seems like every two hours) those, all too similar, B-rated movies with those D-rated actors.  Finally, Christmas flowers are blooming and cookies are baking.  Yep, that’s the gal I married and I love it because Christmas has become even more anticipated, fun and joyous.  And why not, having Jesus come from heaven to earth should be an over the top celebration.  And to add to the excitement of Christmas 2012, this morning at 8:01 AM, December 17th, Roman Philip was born to our son Marc and daughter-in-law Danielle.  A very merry Christmas to the Prokopchak family!

(Thanks to all who have followed or who read this blog on a regular basis.  It’s been a great year and I appreciate you listening.  I hope in some small way something said has been a help to you.  Have a wonderful Christmas.  I look forward to getting back at this early in the New Year.)