Spirit Of Christmas

It seems like yesterday that the image below was me on a local pond, working on my skating and stick-handling with friends as we played hockey. With it being Christmas eve, family was over and laughs and smiles were shared. I believe Ray Charles had it right when he sang,

Christmas is the time of year
For being with the ones we love,
Sharing so much joy and cheer -
What a wonderful feelin' -
Watching the ones we love
Having so much fun.

The image below, owned entirely by Miss Lynne Allan, takes me back to that time. I added the falling snow digitally, but that innocence of heading out to your local rink just to skate and lose one's self in the pure joy and exhilaration is exactly what the spirit of Christmas is all about to me.

Love one another, be thankful for family, friends, and health, and Merry Christmas to everyone! If you don't celebrate Christmas, happy holidays as well! To all the men and women serving overseas, stay safe, get home, and hug those that mean the most to you. That's the spirit of Christmas - being with the ones you love!

Merry Christmas from Hockey Blog In Canada!