Nov_Dec 2020

The Feeling Of Christmas
by Dawn Leon Busy Mom Of 4 Kids
It has been awhile since I have written an
article for the magazine. Our lives have definitely
changed in the last 9 months. It has been hard to
find something light-hearted to write about. Things
have been a bit stressful for our family, and I am sure
you can say the same. My job as a nurse and my
husband’s job as a chiropractor have changed.
Doctor, dentist and even vet appointments
look different these days. I was driving my oldest son,
Eli, to his orthodontist appointment a few weeks ago.
Eli is fourteen; he knows it all, talks back on occasion,
and needs daily reminders to bring his hoarded dishes
from his room to the kitchen. His room is his oasis, so
I try to make the most of our 45-minute drives to the
orthodontist.
With Eli trapped in a moving vehicle with me,
we tend to actually have some wonderful chats. Our
particular chat that day centered around how excited
he was for the holidays. I honestly told him that we
would have to see how much he and his siblings got
for presents since they could close our operating
room down at the hospital at any time. This would
mean that I may lose hours. He said, “Mom, it’s not
about the presents, I just love Christmas. I love the
FEELING of it.”
What he said made me smile. I knew exactly
what Eli meant by that. We decorated early this year,
desperately trying to find some normalcy. He loves
listening to holiday songs on the radio and sings
proudly along to whatever song is playing. This past
weekend, after decorating the tree, we had the kids
stand on a step stool in the middle of the living room
and read their Christmas lists aloud. Every year we
give the kids a $20 limit to gift each other something.
It’s pretty adorable. These things haven’t changed,
and I welcome all of the usual and predictable
traditions of this season. It’s not about the presents.
It’s about being thankful in a time where every little
thing we have counts.
I pray we all get a reprieve from the stress of
the last 9 months and allow the holidays to create
some well-deserved warmth and comfort. I will admit
that I am weary, but my children remind me every day
that there is much joy in the little things. Cherish them
all. Kids still see all the good in the world. I need to
take some lessons from my kids in that regard.
From the Leon Family, have a wonderful
holiday however you are celebrating.
To quote Tiny Tim, a child who always saw the
good: God bless us, everyone.
12 November/December 2020 I QC Family Focus