– I now understand why my grandfather listened to the oldies on our ski trip road trips – when I turn on the radio ‘my jam’ is never on the ‘normal’ stations anymore. 

– I have caught myself saying both: 

“You got so big! You must have grown a foot!” And “Where does the time go!?” In the last month. 
– I have legitimately asked for socks for Christmas and will be excited if I get them. 
– I believe Christmas lights will always make me feel appreciative and optimistic. It’s still a fairly weird tradition though: 

“How should we celebrate the birth of our savior now that we have electricity at home?”

Answer = “Vomit the electricity on the outside of the house where it’s likely to get wet. And put it up high. No higher. Like on the roof. Jesus would really like that shit.”

But I guess most traditions are pretty weird. 
– Christmas countdown calendars still make me smile. As does remembering brutally fighting my brother for the right to move the mouse on Christmas Eve…
– I have many gifts in my life: my health, employment x3 and tomorrow x4, health insurance, food, and a warm and dry place to sleep. 

My greatest gift however; remains the caliber of people in my life. The family, friends, and loved ones I’ve woven across the world through snow, rugby, gym, work, scuba, LS, online, and other shenanigans. They enrich my life and and soul. 

I’m fortunate to be able to spend a day with the family who’s known me the longest: the ones who birthed and raised me. Not everyone has that luxury and it’s not one I’m taking lightly this year. Looking forward to Christmas. 
My resolution for 2019 is to leave each person I have the honor of interacting with in a better place than how I found them. 
Happy holidays all.