Are you ready for it?

Christmas. It has always been my favorite holiday.

I love all holidays, but there is something indescribable about the magic 🪄 of Christmas.

It is difficult to put into words, but photos help.

Lately I’ve been traveling back in time. Not only to my memories, but my families’ lives before I made my grand entrance into the world.

Christmas is extraordinary. It tops every other holiday. We celebrate baby Jesus’ birth. We celebrate what it means to be a Christian.

I was raised in the Methodist church. We went every single Sunday… until my parents split up.

There was no longer that forced church trip. I was 12. My brother, Bentley was 16. So two adolescents, hormones, life… we were thrilled.

We still went here and there, but to different churches with my mom. I also went to youth group nights at different churches with friends from middle school.

I even got confirmed in a church. I guess I was still very religious!

I was confirmed at the First United Methodist Church of Winter Park on Interlachen Avenue. They still send me letters. Maybe I should go back sometime.

My dad always made Christmas magical. He made it look easy.

Every Christmas morning, my brother and I would slowly creep down the stairs to witness the magic for ourselves.

Bikes, video game consoles, toys, clothes, stockings filled to the top. Actually they were overflowing.

But the gifts were not wrapped.

Santa doesn’t have time to wrap presents. The man is on a schedule!

The gifts from our parents and other family members were wrapped.

So now, I send out Christmas cards too. Not every year. Not on my down years where I just can’t get in the spirit.

Last Christmas was one of those years.

Regardless of if I’m high or low, I will always make Christmas special for my son. Even if I’m too depressed to share it on social media.

My dad’s passing is still the worst thing that has ever happened to me. I lost a huge part of me that morning when I got the call.

But his family makes sure to still make holidays special for us.

My dad’s little sister, Robin Hoofnagle, did something very special a couple years ago.

She sent Logan and me a package of 6 Santa coffee mugs. Inside each mug, were little toys and trinkets.

She included a letter. She said we could open one a day, all at once, or however we wanted to dive into the cute gifts.

She told me growing up, her, my dad and their big sister, Sherrill had Santa mugs just like these.

So I will and do use this coffee mug year round.

Why?

It reminds me of my dad, brother, and all my grandparents that have moved on. Two of which died before I was born.

Family is everything to me. Just because their form has changed, doesn’t mean they’re not still here.

They are with me every single day. They are protecting me and guiding me from above.

But they are really right here with me.

I’m going to continue to honor their memory. I will honor their legacy.

I plan to make them proud. I want to be a big legacy from the Hoofnagle family.