Christmas decorations have all been put away. Memories of our last celebration, voices echo in my mind. 

Great times together, laughter, stories, fun, the glue that holds a family tight,  shared holiday spirit.

I know that you are not thinking Christmas thoughts right now . . . most of us are thinking "spring". 

"Come soon," we say, "bring your flowers and your lovely foliage. We long for you!"

I have been sharing journaling ideas and I have a couple for the holidays that I want to share with you. Perhaps you would like to use one of them next Christmas.

One year we made a book for a special family member. I asked the kids to write their favorite childhood memories, the setting, Grandma Bunches house. They wrote them and sent them to me and I compiled them into a book. Scotty and I wrote a few memories down, too. We haven't done this for my mom, yet, but I hope to someday. It was a wonderful gift . . . the kind of gift that money can't buy. Special memories, recorded. My kids really got into it and wrote some great stuff. She especially loved the ones that tickled her funny bone.

Our family also has a tradition, a Christmas Dream Box. I have a beautiful Christmas box, a place where we store our dreams.  We all sit around the family table after our huge, festive meal. I give all of the kids a piece of blank paper and a little box of crayons. They are instructed to draw a picture of one of their dreams. It is very quiet while everyone is drawing. When the drawing is complete and the last artist has laid down his/her crayon, we share our dreams with one another. It has been a beautiful way of getting to know one another better. 

You might not think our Christmas dream box much of a journal, but it really is. We look back on our past dreams and see if any have come to pass. Some of them have. It has been a special way to love, encourage and pray for one another. We get to know what is stirring on the heart of each one. Sometimes we get to help make the dream come true, which cannot happen if you don't know what the dreams of another are.  

I have known folks who never tire of Christmas . . . they think about it every day of the year. I'm not really one of those, but I thought that you might enjoy some ideas for next Christmas . . . or, hey, Valentine's Day, Easter, and Mother's Day are coming! Who says you have to wait for Christmas to start a dream box or a memory book? I say go for it . . . whenever the time best suits you.
Happy family time! 

Blessings!