The Greatest Gift Isn’t Under the Tree: Reflections on a Joyful December

As the calendar turns and the glitter of wrapping paper settles, I’ve been reflecting on the whirlwind of the last few weeks. If I had to choose two words to describe our December, it wouldn’t be “busy” or even “festive”—it would be Presence and Celebration.

Magic in the Milestones

We kicked off the season on December 13th, celebrating our sweet Autumn’s 3rd birthday. There is nothing quite like the pure, uninhibited joy of a toddler seeing a unicorn at her birthday! Watching her ride with such wonder—and seeing Huxley waiting his turn with high hopes for his own January birthday—reminded me that childhood is a series of fleeting, magical moments that we are so lucky to witness. The Lambs were able to attend Marie and Harvey’s Christmas Party at the River and take Grandma Louise. We were grateful because it was on the same day.

Honoring Our Traditions

Some of our favorite “gifts” are the ones we give ourselves every year: the gift of time. Whether it was our annual dinner at The Jefferson on the 15th, where we marvelled at the decorations with my mom, or returning to the Lewis Ginter Santa Brunch, these traditions are the anchors of our season. They allow us to slow down and simply be together in the places we love.

On December 22, we gathered with Women of Worth friends to enjoy desserts and crafts. It felt like old times!

We explored a new tradition of the Santa Train! We found the opportunity a little too late and could only get tickets for Gigi, Vivian, and Autumn.

Santa Brunch

We also had our annual Hebb family gathering at the Godbey house with an adult craft that glowed!

The Highlight of My Christmas

If you asked me for the single moment that defined my holiday, it wasn’t a gift I opened. It was Christmas Eve at The Chapel. Standing there with my mom beside me, watching her lift her hands in worship, my heart felt completely full. Sharing that spiritual connection and having her there by my side was a blessing.

Intimacy in the Small Things

Even our gift exchange at home reflected the beauty of presence over perfection. After a wonderful dinner at The Boathouse, Parish and I retreated home to open gifts privately. I had to laugh at our contrast: me, being resourceful with a “happy birthday” bag for his gift, and him, taking the time to hand-wrap mine using an oyster shell we’d kept for ornaments. It’s those personal, intimate touches—the inside jokes and the shared history—that make a marriage so sweet.

We were able to make it to Smithfield, VA, to the Yummeries bakery and for a bike ride! I wrote about this day in a previous post.

The Joy of Contentment

Christmas morning was a delicious blur of New Orleans bread pudding, breakfast burritos, bacon, cinnamon rolls, Aunt Polly’s punch in the family punch bowl, and the sound of tiny voices. Hearing Autumn yell, “Oh my goodness, it’s just what I wanted!” reminded me of the importance of gratitude. Watching Spencer Jr. wait so patiently for his turn and seeing Adelaide’s eyes light up at her new doll from Grandma Louise made the morning feel perfect. We loved our time with Valentina and Pip in the morning before the rest of the family arrived. Waking up to her note to Santa made me smile with delight! I also made Nana Charlene Reardon’s Coconut Cake to share with Carrie and Vivian!

We ended the day in the best way possible: with a nap for the littlest and a bike ride in the fresh air for the big kids.

As we head into the New Year, I’m carrying that feeling with me. We just need each other, a little bit of wonder, and the grace to be present for it all.

I’ll miss waking up to my tree just before sunrise. That was my time to listen to my daily Advent on Pray as You Go. A sweet time with Jesus.

Disney Fun on the first of December! It was great to find out that the Lambs would be in Orlando at the same time I was for work! A great, productive conference and a lot of fun with my family.