3 thoughts for the week of December 21, 2009 (enduring memories, traditions & a very merry)
- Lasting ImpressionsIn the last 30 years, there have been a ton of memorable Christmas mornings for Matti Ulvila. As he was an only child, Santa was always very very good to him. There was the year of GI Joe, Heman, Voltron, Thundercats, Dukes of Hazard, Gobots, Transformers, Legos and Nintendo to name a few.
Every year there’d be new toys, and of course new worlds for a young mind to explore. Matti identified with the action figures, who made him believe he had the power to do anything. Legos taught him to follow instructions, but more importantly, they taught him it was more fun to create something new and unique with a set of building blocks. Nintendo let a kid from the burbs explore exotic new places, solve puzzles and escape the world he was living in if only for a short bit of time.Today, Santa doesn’t bring action figures but Matt still believes he can do anything he puts his mind to. Luckily for Matti’s children (some day), he still gets Legos and has quite the collection. Sure, Matt doesn’t have his original Nintendo, but he often receives and enjoys playing video games. He may be in my 30’s, but Matti’s passion for creating things, solving problems and exploring the world (even if it’s a virtual one) is still there. So, thank you Santa for all his thoughtful gifts over the years, and helping to shape him into the man he is today.
- Traditions and ComfortEvery family has its own unique traditions that make the holidays, well, the holidays. In Shea’s family, her father made it a point to read “The Night Before Christmas” every Christmas eve. He used a soft English accent and was a wonderful story teller. She looked forward to hearing the story every year almost as much as getting up on Christmas morning. To this day, she still makes him read it to her, although a new generation now gets to take part as well. It’s one of those rare moments where you can feel the tangible magic that this time of year brings.
We look forward to those traditions. They are the things that bring us comfort and warmth. Shea looks forward to her mother’s Baby Apple Pancakes on Christmas morning, her Family’s Yankee Swap and bringing out her great grandmother’s holiday candy dish every December. What are the traditions that make your Holiday special? Honor them always.
- A heartfelt Merry Christmas to youWe at 3thought want to extend a very Merry Christmas to all those who have shared our thoughts. The spirit of Christmas – that special spirit of family, of giving, of compassion, of peace – is something we should keep with us all year long and share as often as we can.