Oh Yeah It's June!!

Amazingly June is upon us. Let me put it this way....2009 is at its halfway point. Oh boy, this year has already been a memorable one. Swine flu anyone??? Summer is now here and at least in Sacramento the weather is beautiful. Swimming, eating outdoors, BBQ's, graduations, and weddings are now apart of lives. With all of these "summertime" aspects in our lives now I can't help shake the thought THAT...

Christmas is on the way. Yeah that's right, Christmas! I can faintly hear Bing Crosby expressing to me his longing for a "White Christmas", and beckoning us to "Come all ye Faithful". In the caverns of my memory Elvis is warning me that"Santa Clause is coming in a big black Cadillac" (hence the the reason I own a big black Cadillac)

I know it's odd to think about Christmas on the 1st day of June but I can't help it. June means middle of the year to me and with that my brain instantly goes to the fact that Christmas is on the way.

Now, track with me. I know it seems crazy to believe that June means the countdown to Christmas, but hear me out. Retail venues tend to put holiday items out well in advance. With our teetering economy and the slow retail markets I've got a feeling that you're going to be able to pick up stocking stuffers in September. Seriously!!! Last year I was in Target in late September and not only could one buy Halloween costumes and table clothes for Thanksgiving they also had a little end cap with a small amount of Christmas decorations. How crazy is that? One could possibly purchase Christmas Decor in as little as 3 months. Now who's the crazy one?

Please don't get my childlike excitement for Christmas wrong. What makes me long for Christmas is not the gifts it's the Spirit that's in the air. It's the cookies, and the get-togethers. It's the hustle and bustle and crisp air that wafts it's way into your lungs when you step outdoors. Ice skating with family and friends. All the above items I mentioned by themselves are just ok, but what makes them special is the magic. The aforementioned cookies- they're nice, but the magic comes when you bake them with your grandchildren or give them to a neighbor. The hustle and bustle- rushing off to be with friends and family. Hustling to make it to the store and get that special someone the gift they've wanted all year. It's putting that person first. It's spending time with the ones you love. That's the stuff we forget to do by June 1. That is why thoughts of my favorite time of year jump to the forefront of my brain in the beginning of summer. I want to keep that Christmas Magic going all year. We all can. Nothing like cinnamon and nutmeg cookies and hot chocolate when it's 104 outside, Right? Maybe not, but the spirit of doing something nice for someone else needs no perfect temperature.

Merry Summer Christmas Everyone!!!!