Christmas Season!

It's now my favorite time of the year! Truth be told, I was concerned about being able to feel the holiday spirit this year since there are some things now that come to mind that make things melancholy. It's the time of year also for some somber anniversaries now. My mom passed away the day before Thanksgiving three years ago, and her birthday follows two days later. My deceased brother's birthday was two weeks later on December 8. This is the second year without him. To top it all off, this winter isn't even winter right now. We're very warm for this time of year, too warm for snow. We had one or two storms that left a skiff of snow before the warmth set in, and now if any storms come in, it will only come as rain. I love rain, but not during winter. I've been dreaming of a nice blanket of white for a few years now, but ever since I bought a pair of snow boots a few years ago, we haven't had a decent amount. I guess I jinxed it (wink, wink).

To help us on these melancholy anniversaries, our family decided to do some activities in their memory, some things that were their favorite things to do. For Mom, we simply had her favorite desert (root beer float). For my brother, Mike, we went again to see the Luminaria at Thanksgiving Point. We weren't originally going to go on that day, but I talked the others into it, because it's a Christmas/holiday light festival, and Mike LOVED lights. We always made sure he got prime view for our Christmas tree each year, which he would watch for hours (if he was able to physically sit that long). He also loved music, which Luminaria plays throughout the tour.

A sample of the Luminaria display.

 On Friday, I had a sibling who with some luck managed to get a hold of tickets to the Tabernacle Choir Concert. I was able to go to it, and it was so fun! We even had a little segment when the audience was invited to sing along! We got there early enough prior to get a glimpse of the new Christmas lights on Temple Square. They have a lot of nice areas to sit around and enjoy the atmosphere.

Temple Square. Salt Lake City Temple is still under renovation and will be until at least another
year.

But wait...there's more!!!! The next day, I went to see FROZEN at the Hale Center Theater in Sandy, and it did not disappoint! To be honest, from the other performances I'd seen of it, the trademark scene where "Let it Go" is performed, I always felt like there was so much potential for special effects, and was never completely satisfied, until this performance. I've loved the other performances as well, but Hale Center seems to be the only one willing to take that challenge another step and make that scene as magical as it was supposed to be. Absolutely amazing! Perhaps it was also a matter of the type of stage setting that made it possible. Hale Center Theater's stage is a round theater, so they have to cover all bases. The audience seating makes it possible for everyone to see, and it feels more intimate. I left that performance feeling like I'd seen the movie for the first time again. I left feeling cheerful and full of energy, which signals that the actors did their job and connected with me. That's why I love theater a little more than movies. The live interaction helps me connect so much more to the actors.

A waterfall outside the Hale Center Theater in Sandy, Utah.

You have to be grateful for all of the talented performers who are willing to spend so much time during the holiday season to help remind us about why we should be glad and joyful at this time of year. I have a few very good reasons to struggle during the holidays, but how in the world am I supposed to stay miserable when I'm surrounded by such beautiful reminders? Thank you to all who are willing to sacrifice time and share you talents with those of us who need to remember why we should be joyful!