All the Best To Everyone

Well, here we are. The holiday weekend is upon us. Whatever your faith is, whatever you believe in or don't believe in, no matter how religious you are or not, I hope you all find peace this weekend and take a moment or two to reflect and appreciate all you have.

For those of you who know me well, you know that I am not a deeply religious person. I believe in God and I pray in my own way. What matters most to me, above any organized religion, is making a difference in the lives of the people around me. That is the most important thing to me. The holiday season to me, means spending time with those you love and making memories that last a lifetime.

Whenever I think of Christmas, I think of years past when my grandparents were alive and we were all together. Sure we were spoiled and had a billion toys under the tree each year, but what mattered most to me then, and more so now, is the time I spent with my grandparents. The holidays truly haven't been the same since they all passed on, but the memory of those great times always keeps me smiling on Christmas.

My Christmas was and still is celebrated the Italian way. When I was a kid, my grandpa, my mom, and I would venture out at 6am on Christmas Eve morning to buy all the food. There was a store for everything. The Italian butcher, the Italian Delis, the Italian bakeries, the fish markets, and a bunch of other stops along the way. By noon, we would head back to the house with a trunkload and a backseat load of food. We'd start eating at about 2pm and the food would just keep coming until well after midnight. We'd sit around and listen to all the old stories my grandparents would tell from when they were kids growing up in Brooklyn. Yeah, we heard them all 1000 times before, but we just loved to hear them over and over. I remember it being very loud, Italians aren't usually quiet people. They would all debate about politics, yell and scream about a million other issues, but it was just fun. I miss those times. Sure, we still have a food filled extravaganza each year, but it isn't the same without the grandparents.

Each year, on my way to my parent's house on Christmas Eve morning, I stop by the cemetary and pay my respects to the best people I have ever known, my grandma and grandpa. I make sure I thank them for all they did for me and I make sure they know that my childhood surely would not have been the same without them. I always bring a little Christmas Tree and those really big candy canes...my grandpa loved them. I then make my way to my parent's house feeling a bit sad, but really thankful more so than anything for all the memories I have that are still crystal clear. I hope someday I can make Christmas as special for my kids as my grandparents and parents made it for me. For now, I'll make it special for Bruce....which reminds me...here are the Brucey Claus 2005 pics.



Naughty or Nice???? 


I've been a good dog! 


Where are my elves?????? 


I love my jingle bell collar!!!!! 


Is my shift over yet? 

And finally, I'll leave you with a Christmas tune. A funny one. We used to tease my grandma with this one back when I was in Jr. High. It brings back a lot of memories.

Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer
By Elmo

So, take a moment this weekend and just look around. Enjoy the moment and the time you are having. Nothing lasts forever, so appreciate the people in your life now and be sure to make great memories you can carry on for years to come. I wish you all the best.