The Holidays are coming...

I love the holidays, especially Christmas. This is my favorite time of the year! I love everything about: the colors, the lights, the decorations, the music, the movies, cooking, books, Jesus, spending time in celebration with friends and family, but most of all I love tradition.
My mom made Christmas special and it wasn't just about opening presents; she taught my family Christmas was about others. Cooking homemade food (my mom was an amazing cook), delivering food and gifts, picking out presents (her favorite line if you want it then that is the gift you should buy for someone else), giving to the homeless, spending time together, there was always Christmas music playing, but her favorite tradition was driving around this one particular neighborhood in San Antonio looking at the Christmas lights.
My love of the holidays is something she passed on to me a long time ago. Now the holidays are bitter-sweet, since her passing it has caused immense grief during this time of the year. For those of you have not lost a parent, grandparent or someone very close to you it is so hard to explain. You walk through life and the memories flood you, in a moment they consume your heart and your head and it is wonderful and miserable at the same time. A feeling like there are still here, so real and alive. Your heart rushes and you want to see them, hug them and talk to them; but, then you remember that it is not reality and life has changed. The worst part is the loneliness or emptiness you feel in that moment.
When those moments come on I have to go back to the life she shared and the things she passed on; for instance, the love of the holidays. So now when I show joy, happiness, love, and incredible experiences through the holidays I remember who taught it to me and in order to keep her alive in our hearts I must pass it on, so I do.

Sorry for the emotional thoughts but I just had to get them out ;)