Why we love Christmas

By: 
Grundy Register staff

It’s the most wonderful time of the year at The Grundy Register, in Grundy County and all over the world, and we’re ready to celebrate. The season’s blessings give us plenty to be thankful for, and in that spirit, each staff member shared something that he or she loves about Christmas.
           
Brenda Abels, administrative assistant- I love Christmas because it means getting together with a house full of family, everyone talking and little ones running around from one special person to another. Then there are your coworkers who love to listen to Christmas music for weeks as much as I do. It is just such a special time.
           
Lisa Bakker, page designer and composition- I love our family tradition of going and picking out a Christmas tree each year, and then we decorate it with ornaments the kids either made over the years or got from their grandmas. Also listening to Christmas music throughout the season is a favorite part of Christmas for me. I enjoy getting together with family.
           
Michaela Kendall, news editor- When I was younger, Christmas was always an exciting time because the whole family would load up into the car and drive down to Florida to visit my grandma every other year. I love those memories of the beach and sun with my family, but eventually, the joy of sitting jam-packed in a car for 28 hours straight with six other people (and occasionally being puked on) loses its allure as you get older.
 
Thankfully, my grandma is back in Iowa now, and I think we're all looking forward to staying local for the holidays, and having a nice, relaxing Christmas at home. If I had to choose my favorite thing about Christmas, it would be that feeling or mood after all the presents are opened, the food has been eaten, and everyone is feeling peaceful and content. All the hustle and bustle of the season seems so far away as you relax with family, laughing, playing games, telling stories or watching favorite Christmas movies together.
 
At least to me, it brings a little perspective to the holiday. You see how silly it was to stress over the little details, and you just enjoy being in the here and now, happily reminiscing and making new Christmas memories with family. I hope everybody has a very merry Christmas; I know I'm looking forward to mine!
           
Robert Maharry, publisher- As I’ve gotten older, I’ve come to appreciate the fact that Christmas gives me a few extra days to step away from work and get together with the most important people in my life.
           
I love all of the traditions—both old and new—and I can still remember, as a bright-eyed child, racing up the stairs at my grandmother’s house and witnessing so many of those perfect snowy white northern Minnesota Christmases, hoping for a new bike or my favorite action figure.
           
I now realize that it’s not about the presents, the carols, the lights or how much money you spent. It’s about the people you’re spending the holiday with.
           
Diane Paige, Dike correspondent- Christmas is the time to see friends I have not seen or kept in touch with throughout the year. As the saying goes, when we meet it is as though we've never spent any time apart. Conversations about family events get shared, new family members are introduced and memories of lost loved ones are shared.
 
I love knowing my adult children get a lot of joy spending time with extended families and their many friends. Our family is really good at sharing time together.
           
Clint Poock, regional sales manager- I love all the memories of when I was a child, teenager and young adult. I remember relatives no longer here and how much they enjoyed Christmas and made it special for me.
 
Today, I love the excitement and anticipation that my kids, nieces and nephews have for Christmas Day, including everyone being together to celebrate. Merry Christmas to all of our friends and Grundy Register readers. Thank you for being there with us in this past year, and may 2019 be full of great things for each of you.
 
Jake Ryder, sports editor- As someone who has most of my immediate family living at least two and a half hours away, Christmas is an opportunity to take a couple of hours to get together with the family and catch up on lost time. It's also an excuse to play the greatest Christmas song ever composed, David Bowie and Bing Crosby's duet of "Peace on Earth/Little Drummer Boy," on a loop.
 
Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night! 

The Grundy Register

601 G. Avenue - P.O. Box 245
Grundy Center, IA 50638
Telephone: 1-319-824-6958
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