What is the magic of Christmas?

Decorating for Christmas came a little late this year. On August 1, 2020, we welcomed our second baby boy into the world. Our home, our routine, our day-to-day changed drastically. We now had two little babes under 2.

Our always clean, everything put in its place home started looking like a war zone - toys, bottles, crafts, laundry (dirty and clean), spit up rags, rockers, you name it, took over our tiny living space. We wouldn't have it any other way!

As the months went on, we thought we would be able to establish a routine where taking showers weren't considered a luxury but a necessity. In November, our eldest turned 2 and as quick as you can blink, the dreaded terrible twos came. Weeks passed by, the tantrums began getting worse, I could barely hold my other little baby without my eldest losing his mind...I felt defeated.

My husband decorated our tree alone this year while me and the kids were asleep...I just didn't feel the magic of Christmas. As different as things were this year, I made a promise to myself that I would save Christmas and bring that spirit into our home.

I started to frantically purchase Christmas decor for our home and relied on pinterest, social media and Google for some inspiration. Slowly, I started to feel down again...all of these houses that were decorated so beautifully were so grand, so stunning...and here I was trying to decorate my small home in similar fashion. I thought I was letting my boys down. How could they possibly feel the Christmas spirit if I wasn't able to decorate my home like these ones I was seeing? Determined, I still got all the things - the garland, the wreath, the candles, the stockings (with no where to hang them because I don't have a mantel), the statues, the indoor lights. I put them all up and still, I didn't feel any more different. I was just about ready to give up but then, I came across these gorgeous floral hoop wreaths. In one last attempt to make my home as festive as all the other homes I came across, I ordered two wreaths.

When I received my order, I immediately hung up these wreaths. I took the pictures, posted them to my Instagram and then I got a comment from the owner of the shop where I purchased these wreaths. She said to me "your decor is gorgeous" and I thought to myself, here I am thinking my house isn't as spectacular as these others because its small...here I am thinking my boys won't feel the magic of Christmas because I can't do all the things I want to do! This may sound so silly but with that comment, these wreaths became so much more than Christmas decor. They are a reminder of what Christmas spirit really is.

Yeah, my Christmas tree may be tucked in a corner of my dining room, my garland, Christmas tree statues, stockings and wreath sit on top of my children's toy storage shelf. It doesn't look as grand as the homes I've been seeing but who cares?!

What matters: we have a roof over our head, food to eat, our health, our incredibly supportive family, my children are happy and healthy. Truly, my boys don't care what Christmas decorations are up. They won't remember that. They will remember decorating the tree together, listening to Christmas music and dancing, baking and decorating cookies...these are the things I remember most about Christmas when I was a kid! It is so easy to get caught up and lose sight of what is truly important.

As I am writing this post, I am laying in bed with my two babies napping so soundly and I cannot help but smile and feel comforted. They are the magic of my Christmas and the magic of my every single day. And each year that I hang up these wreaths, I will be reminded of what the magic of Christmas really is. I am so very blessed.

Floral Hoop Wreath by hoopandroseco.