In Pursuit of the Perfect Christmas

"And the angel said unto them, 'Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord'" (Luke 2:10-11 KJV).

In the middle of one hot August 2008 afternoon my phone rang. After the normal pleasantries my sister Allison asked, "Hey Barb, what do you think about us coming up to Wyoming for Christmas?" I was stunned! No one ever wants to come to Wyoming for Christmas! For several years my parents would come up for, what we termed as, "Christ-Giving" a few days between Thanksgiving and Christmas--weather permitting, of course.

I was thrilled! Without hesitation or checking with Billy, I immediately replied, "We would love to have you guys here for Christmas!" I can't say what the rest of our conversation was about as I was already planning meals and sleeping arrangements in my head.

It wasn't two weeks later and the phone rang again; this time our daughter Amber was on the other end. "Mom, what do you think about us coming up to Wyoming for Christmas?" I couldn't believe my ears! Again, without hesitation and my mind spinning in delight I answered, "Yes! We'd love to have you guys here for Christmas...your Aunt Allison, Uncle Mike and the boys will be here, too!" Immediately, I slipped into deep planning mode.

I couldn't believe my good fortune; Christmas 2008, would be done to absolute perfection! I knew I wouldn't be receiving a similar telephone call from our son; he was preparing for his deployment with the Air Force the first week in January. He and his family would be with us in thought and prayer.

I remembered the Christmases we had growing up...Christmas in the tiny isolated oil camp, Bairoil, Wyoming, spent with our grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins and, weather permitting, our great-grandparents would drive up from Colorado. Christmas, in the mind of a child and now tenderly filed away as a memory of a grandma, done to absolute perfection.

With pen and paper in hand I began to plan meals, holiday treats and snacks for thirteen people instead of the usual three or four...cold cereal, peanut-butter sandwiches, frozen pizza and Ding Dongs just will not do. The meals would be hot, scrumptious and plenty.

For the next couple of months my mind was constantly planning and preparing. All Christmas goodies and snacks would be made well in advance and safely kept in the freezers. All grocery ingredients for the meals would be purchased in advance--an extensive grocery list was written and added to daily--there would be no desperate last minute runs to the store.

Next, sleeping arrangements. We have a very small home, but I had it all under control, I had a plan. Our daughter's family would arrive several days before Allison's. Amber and her family would spend the first shift at Bill and Barb's B&B, then when Allison's family arrived we would put the first bunch up in a local hotel to sleep for the remainder of their few day's visit and Allison's bunch would bed-down in our home...yeah...that would work! Perfect plan!

Entertainment. What could I do to make this an unforgettable Christmas in Wyoming for the kiddos from San Antonio, Texas and Houston, Missouri? Jackson! We would treat everyone to a couple nights in Jackson! We would go see a fun movie one evening, spend a day at Snow King Ski Resort inner-tubing...the grand finale...rent a horse-drawn sleigh ride through the elk refuge! Perfect plan!

One more thing, what could I do to make our evening time together special, unique and memorable? I know...wonderful, personal, heart-warming family stories or poems to be told or read prior to offering thanks for the precious day and the evening's meal. Perfect plan!

The time came, the house decorated inside and out. TV tables set up an loaded with trays of delicious homemade Christmas cookies, candies, snacks and a Christmas peppermint cake. Jars of homemade hot cocoa mix, fireside coffee and spiced tea mixes waiting to be spooned into mugs filled with steaming water. Cabinets and refrigerators were bursting at he seams with groceries. The ground was white with snow and the Wyoming air cold and blustery. Firewood cut, stacked and ready to burn. File folder filled with the stories to tell--each one in a specific order and dated accordingly. Reservations made for a hotel room in town, hotel rooms in Jackson, and a family sleigh ride. Christmas Eve we would gather together as a family and attend the Christmas Eve service at church...for the first time in years. Christmas, planned to perfection!

Everything went according to my intricately obsessively detailed plan...with one exception. The morning we were to go on the sleigh ride we awoke to closed roads and a typical Wyoming winter blizzard. We were facing a long treacherous drive home...the long way around. No sleigh ride...this time.

Christmas, practically perfect in every way!

Here it is, two years later, Christmas 2010.

What is my most memorable moment of that practically perfect Wyoming Christmas of 2008?

Sharing the church pew on Christmas Eve were my two beautiful daughters, my precious two grandchildren, my sweet son-in-law and my dear beloved husband. That one single moment while we were singing hymns of old announcing and rejoicing in the birth of God's only Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior...I glanced down and saw the sweet profile of my seven year-old grandson in the soft glow of the candle lit sanctuary...his lips moving as he quietly sang all verses to Silent Night. We were where we were supposed to be; celebrating the birth of The King in his house. Christmas...to perfection!

I encourage you to remember:

Christmas is not how much money we have or don't have to spend.

Christmas is not the brightly decorated and illuminated pine trees and houses.

Christmas is not the rich yummy foods we eat.

Christmas is not whether or not we have a house full of beloved guests.

Christmas is not the entertainment we choose.

Christmas is...plain and simple...the joyous celebration of our Savior's birth.