Christmas Eve hustle and bustle couldn't stop me from taking the time for a beach walk. The weather was unusually warm and I was anxious to see what treasures the storm tides brought in. Mother Nature sure is powerful, our latest storm changing the shoreline, eroding the dunes and dragging in piles of seaweed. On a beach that typically has no seaweed there were spots along the shore were it was twenty feet wide and impossible to pass without walking through it. The treasures, however were in abundance and I was able to find dozens of perfect shells and countless lucky rocks. Of course the best treasures are all the way down at the mouth of the river, maybe because fewer people walk that far? I had been awake for hours, prepping for the big night making the beach walk a welcome break in all the holiday commotion. By the afternoon my house was once again bursting with family and friends with someone new arriving at my door every hour throughout the afternoon and evening. My son, who is visiting, laughed at the amount of visitors I have in a day, saying its more than he has all year! I'm happy to report that the games I've been planning for and organizing all month were played with a greater level of excitement I could have hoped for, my grandchildren laughing at every new game or song anxious to see the next. Our table was set for twelve and each plate had a card underneath revealing one of line of the Twelve Days of Christmas. When the table erupted in song, each person sang their verse with enthusiasm and sometimes silly accents. On to our next game, we took turns bouncing a ping pong ball into a numbered muffin tin, trying to win the corresponding box filled with a prize. It may sound easy but turned out to be harder than anticipated adding a challenge and making each win a greater victory. The games continued throughout the night, one sillier than the next, gifts were exchanged, treats eaten and everyone went home feeling the magic of Christmas. Not one photo was taken, but the smiles will last in my memory and the sounds of laughter in my mind longer than any polaroid could hold. I imagine my grandchildren will carry these memories for a lifetime as well. Gifts are forgotten but feelings of love, joy and happiness and friendship fill our souls and carry us through life. Hopefully everyone that walked through my door carried these treasures home with them, although a gift or two from Santa wouldn't be bad either!
🥰❤️😘T
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