eTreasures Twelve Days Blog #3 Tis The Season For...

Tis the Season to Be …

Jolly?

When I was a child, Christmas was this wonderful holiday when this mysterious man entered our home through the chimney and left a room full of toys behind. We were taught to expect everything we wanted on this day, and we were never disappointed. Needless to say, on this day we became the picture of ‘three spoiled children.’ We were pretty good the rest of the year, but watch out Santa.

And then the disappointments started.

First, we figured out there was no such thing as this magical man. The presents kept coming, so no big deal.
Then, our family slipped below middle class, and Christmas presents were few. I remember, two children, one was me, crying their little eyes out. My brother was old enough to understand what was going on. What had we done? Were we bad?

The final blow was the year without my father, Santa, or presents. From that day on, Christmas became just another day. There was nothing on that day, or any other holiday for that matter.

My point here is Christmas is not about this jolly old man wearing a red outfit, although he is a fun man to introduce your children to. And, it’s not about having a room full of gifts, although that’s fun too.
To me, Christmas is more about appreciating those in your life and letting them know how much they mean to you. It’s about celebrating life and making the most of what we have. It’s about coming together, family, friends, and even strangers to celebrate the creation of human kind and giving forgiveness to others.

[Treasure Chest #3]

So, I say Tis the Season to be Appreciative, Loving, Giving, Forgiving, and Thankful.
How do you feel about Christmas? What sort of events will you be attending? Who will you help this year?

Cher Green

Cher has two novellas with eTreasures: Seduced by Darkness (available alone and in the Brides and Dark Secrets Anthology) and Escape to Love.

GIVEAWAY
Today's giveaway is an eBook copy of  the Sweetheart's in Bloom Anthology which includes Cher's novella Escape to Love.
Open Worldwide.
Individual Giveaway Ends December 19 at 10pm Central.
Check the Twelve Days of Christmas Blog Tour post for other chances to win a holiday package.

eTreasures Twelve Days Blog #1: My Favorite Thing About Christmas

I'm not a big holiday fan. I succumb to the stress and overspending just like everyone else, which leaves me feeling guilty and unfulfilled. At one point, I wanted to give up celebrating Christmas all together. I was a Grinch in every sense of the word.

Then, I became a parent. When my sons were little, I still attempted to avoid the holidays, but as they got older and more fascinated with Christmas, I changed my outlook. Watching holidays through the eyes of children rekindles the joy of the season. They remind me about the good things, the fun things, that the season brings. For my kids, it's not only about the presents, even though that is a HUGE part, it's also about helping others and celebrating the season for what it really entails.

I still spend way too much money and get stressed out, but I also take the time to sit back and watch my kids. I'm excited to see their reaction on Christmas Eve when they open their presents, then on Christmas Day after Santa shows up. They truly surprise me with their wonder and fascination, and make the whole season worthwhile!

[Treasure chest #1]

What kinds of things make you happy during the holidays? How do you relieve stress?

To give you a break from holiday stress here is a chance to win an eBook copy of the Bride and Dark Secrets Anthology which includes The Weeping Bride by Pembroke.

Pembroke has two other titles at eTreasures:  Coming From Nowhere and Life After the Undead.

To Enter: post a reply comment to answer Pembroke's question and include your email.

Winner will be picked from all comments.

Individual giveaway ends December 17, 2011 at 10 pm.
See the "Twelve Days Blog Tour" post for two other chances to win.