2014 Harrington Fire Co. Santa Run

Every year, our local fire department does the Santa Run for the kids all over where we live. They take 3 days and divide up the entire town within them. First day is usually the west side of the tracks, second day is east side and the third day is a section outside of town. They come through with Santa sitting on one of their firetrucks. The firefighters get out and usually give all of the kids they see a candy cane. This year, they did something a little different. They took time out of their day and made over 2,000 cookies to give out. Every year, although its freezing cold, it's always worth going out to see them. My youngest has enjoyed it the most out of all of us. My husband put together a little video, so check it out.

Does your local fire department do anything special for the holidays?

Where Are You Christmas? #Christmas

Last night, I finally had the opportunity to sit down and watch the Hallmark movie everyone has been abuzz about lately - Northpole. I figured it would end up good like most Hallmark movies are. It was but it really got me thinking after it was over. It left me with one question in mind - Why has Christmas changed since I was a little girl?

When I was little, things were great. Heck, they were MORE than great. Everything was amazing and everyone was happy. Our tradition was to go out and look for HUGE neighborhoods decked out in nothing but Christmas lights. It was one of the things I looked forward to the most back then. Of course we also didn't have smartphones and camera's were a thing that rich families had. Coming from a family with 3 other siblings and a total of 6 members, it was hard to afford one. My mom had a video camera that she used to record us opening our gifts on Christmas morning. It was for her to use only. So there went that idea.

In the movie Northpole, there's a girl elf named Clementine that really wants to help bring back the Christmas spirit. So, she does what any great elf would do and she picks one little boy who also wishes for the same thing and heads to where he lives. I don't want to give the whole entire movie away to those who have yet to see it but it ends up not being what everyone is probably thinking towards the beginning. It does have a happy ending.

Just some of the things portrayed in the movie are the same things I deeply miss. I remember baking cookies with my family and even eating the raw dough. I remember helping my mom make Christmas blankets for my grandfather's grave site. The whole Christmas light ordeal I mentioned earlier in my post. There are so many things I did back then.

Where has it all gone? What happened? Why do neighborhoods no longer do this? Has their Christmas spirit gone or is it how costly electric has become? I hardly see any houses lit up like I used to. It's a rare occurrence to find two next to each other lit up. When we do, our girls eyes light up like diamonds. Maybe it's because I'm from a small town and we don't have huge festivals of lights? The local police station has a Christmas tree lighting but it's not even worth going to. Anything with a huge amount of lights is too far away for us to drive.

Although people say Christmas isn't about the gifts but instead about Christ, I beg to differ. I wasn't raised to be a hardcore religious person. I was raised to base Christmas time around friends and family. To me, it's the one big holiday of the year to be with those you care about and love the most. Yes, the gifts are fun but the gifts aren't what truly matters. It's the quality time with family and catching up and even reminiscing about the good times that matter the most to me. Getting the kids together to play and even catch up too.

Times have changed drastically. Christmas to most is no longer about the reasons I think it's about but instead bargains and trying to get their kids the best stuff at the store. What about the kids who have nothing? Those who are homeless? I have found myself donating more to charities that help the less unfortunate out as an adult than I ever remember my family doing when I was a child. Has the world really gone to hell that damn much since I was little? Times are hard, I know. I have had my fair share of struggles since being released out into the real world. It shouldn't be hard enough that people start losing hope and faith in the holidays.

My girls will most likely never experience all that I did when I was little. I am sure as heck going to make it a point to give them the best experiences I can though for the holidays, so they too know what they should be based around. Love, joy, happiness and spending quality time with family. I want them to know that gifts can be replaced but people cannot. To cherish every moment you can with your loved ones. If they choose to become religious and believe in Christmas for other reasons, that is their decision and as a mother, I will never steer them from their thoughts and opinions in life.

Again I ask, where are you Christmas? Will I ever find you again?