Holiday Hoopla

When I was young I remember the holidays as a magical time of year when fresh baked cookies were always available, houses twinkled with multi-colored lights, and a fat man cloaked in red and white brought me toys. The holidays were a time of family and late night games and movies featuring Rudolph and Frosty. We would decorate our tree, drink hot chocolate (even though it was still warm outside), and listen to carols. The holidays were about comfort and warmth and love.

Thankfully, the holidays are still a time that make me happy to be alive. I still go over my parents house to bake cookies and decorate the tree. My husband keeps the Christmas movies alive by tuning into some of his favorites - "A Muppet Christmas Carol," "Scrooged," and the old claymation version of "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer." Now I am decorating my own home with my own tree, but the fun is still the same. *SPOILER ALERT* Knowing that there is no real "fat man cloaked in red and white" does not ruin the fun of gift giving and receiving and I still, occasionally, receive toys (last year a got a Gator Mr. Potato Head).

Sometimes I wish that I could go back to that innocence of believing that the jingling keys that I heard outside my window on Christmas Eve is truly Santa and his sleigh. But, I am a firm believer that most things get better with age. I no longer worry so much about getting that cool new Barbie for Christmas. Instead, I appreciate the little things like seeing my beloved cousin (whom I don't see often) or watching my brother's face when he opens the gift that is perfect for him. If anything, as I have gotten older the holidays have become MORE about comfort, warmth, and love.

I would love to hear about some of your holiday traditions...

The Joy of Travel

Have I mentioned that I love to travel? I think that I have always been a bit of an explorer. I remember this big forested hill (when I was young it seemed like a mountain) that used to be behind my parents house. My brother and I were forbidden to go up into the collection of tall trees, so, of course, that is all that we wanted to do. One day I decided that the suspense was just too much and I was going to venture up that hill, even if I was not allowed. So, I boldly went where no neighborhood child had gone before - and I lived to tell the tale. The idea of an unexplored (at least by me) area of my neighborhood was just too much for me to handle. Although this was not my first adventure into the unknown, it certainly is one that has stayed with me through the years.

And, perhaps this is what I love most about travel - the unknown. But, I can't say that I have always loved venturing into unknown territory. One time during a backpacking trip through Ireland I just broke down and cried because I had no idea where I was and, even worse, no idea how to get where I wanted to go. At the time I was terrified. Now, I am grateful that I had that good cry in the middle of an Irish train station. I lived to tell this tale too, which means that I finally found a way to get where I needed to go. In fact, if I had not gotten lost during my Ireland trip I would have never found that fantastic little pub where I met the most engaging young man...but that is a story for another time.

Although the unknown is not always pretty, it is always a learning experience. Travel is about venturing into the unknown in order to find yourself. You can learn so much about yourself when you travel. And, better yet, you can learn that you don't know much at all. It is eye opening to realize how much there is out there in our world.

This week I want to hear your travel stories. It does not matter if the extent of your travels have brought you as far as Disney World or China, I am sure that you still learned a little something about the world. Tell us about your lessons...