It's been a year, my friends, and things feel a bit different for me this Christmas. How are you feeling this holiday season?
Don't get me wrong, I still love and appreciate holiday music and festivities, making the time to reflect and reset, and spending time with my family and friends, but how I'm celebrating has been scaled back a bit. I'm not focusing on buying gifts and I'm keeping it really simple. My family even decided that we wouldn't exchange gifts this year and would instead focus on spending quality time together.
With this year came lots of growth and really narrowing in on what matters the most. I've been noticing holiday songs and lyrics that I haven't paid as much attention to in the past that have now become incredibly meaningful. The holiday classic, "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year," particularly Amy Grant's version, has been filling my joy cup lately with good vibes! I love her gentle and reflective delivery of the song that somehow helps to illuminate the lyrics more. I consider this song to have a bit of a "fake it 'till you make it" vibe! If you're really not feeling it this year, listening to this song can magically make you feel better and give you that little optimistic tug at your heartstrings. Normally, this song is not a top favorite of mine, as I'm reminded of Andy Williams' version, which manages to overflow the radio waves and feel somewhat obnoxious and a bit sarcastic too! His performance seems to allude more to the craziness and busyness of the holiday season rather than being a reflection of what's most important.
The part of this song that resonates with me...what I truly believe is the "most wonderful,"
is, "hearts will be glowing when loved ones are near." This part speaks to the joy, love, and togetherness that come from gathering with our loved ones during the holidays. That's where the true magic exists. Bringing those special vibes together has the power to lift our spirits, through good times and tough times, and send us off into the new year with a spark! My family and friends, and my fur baby, Reesee, are the most important to me and what I'm most grateful for each holiday season.
Hope you enjoy my cover of this classic and that you're finding comfort and peace through the togetherness of your loved ones this holiday season!
Shine on!