Great things that happen in homes: HOLIDAYS

When family and friends gather together for holidays, the home comes alive! Warm apple pie, grilled burgers and fresh coffee fill the home with the smells of goodness. Kids playing down the hall, teenagers in the back yard throwing the football and everyone laughing as family memories are being shared in the kitchen remind you why you all get together.

At holidays, we celebrate! There are many occasions to get together: celebrating mom and dad, honoring our nation, giving thanks, remembering our Savior’s birth, embracing a new year, celebrating our Savior’s resurrection, and a host of other holidays in between. The occasions may be different but many of the results are the same.

At holidays, we remember those most important to us. And even when we have recently lost a loved one, the holiday does not have to be somber. You can use the holiday to honor them, remembering how wonderful they were and how important they were to you. Think about: they would not want you to be sad. So, choose to honor them and talk about the wonderful ways they impacted your life!

At holidays, we gather with friends and family because we love them. The holiday gives us a reason to get together, and the group of people we choose to gather with are those that are important to us. Let’s use the holiday to strengthen our love for one another.

At holidays, we create great memories. Whether it be opening a present or a fun family game or a great meal or a church service or whatever it is, the memories created during holidays truly last a lifetime. And thanks to the cameras on our phones, in an instant we can snap photos and share with everyone these fun family memories.

At holidays, we are grateful. James 1 tells us that every good and perfect gift comes down from above, so as we gather with family and friends, let us truly be thankful to God for his blessings.

Let your home be a place where people gather for holidays. Open up your home and create memories that will last a lifetime.