Dianna Buchwalter

  "He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and familiar with grief; like one from whom people hide their faces, he was despised, and we esteemed him not." — Isaiah 53:3 “It doesn’t feel like Christmas, Mom,” my thirteen-year-old said recently. I suggested it might be because she’s getting older. When we’re children, there’s a magical quality to Christmastime. Excitement fills the air as we imagine twinkling lights, warm sugar cookies , and shiny gifts beneath the tree. But as we grow up, life becomes more complicated—sometimes in wonderful ways, and sometimes not. For those blessed with children of their own, the “magic” of Christmas can reappear as we experience it through their eyes. But children grow up, too, and eventually, we may find ourselves back in a place where Christmas doesn’t feel quite as joyful or “Christmassy” (if that’s even a word) as it once did. We all navigate different seasons of life. Perhaps you’re a young adult overwhelmed with little on...

Seventy-degree weather and very light sweaters  with lights aglow as children can only dream of snow. Christmas (in the South) is in the air! Santa and Rudolph are placed on the roof up high  with a hey y'all from the passers-by. Christmas (in the South) is in the air! Decorations put out before Thanksgiving as the neighbors tease us Setting up the nativity, but we can't find baby Jesus. Christmas (in the South) is in the air! The heat and AC sing a duet as we drink hot chocolate, trying not to break a sweat. Christmas (in the South) is in the air! Listening to carols sung by the fire as we swat at the bugs just slightly higher. Christmas (in the South) is in the air! Making Grandma's macaroni and sweet potato casserole for dinner while we complain about how we wish we were thinner. Christmas (in the South) is in the air! Watching Christmas Vacation for the 50th time with a glass of sweet tea as we quote every line. Christmas (in the South) is in the air!  Attending Chris...

  Meet Christopher, the elf. He's eleven years old, but in elf years, more like 60. He hibernates 11 months out of the year, loves to ride on ceiling fans and can be quite mischievous at night. Or, at least he used to be. Christopher was adopted by our family when my son was five years old. An immediate friendship was born between the two of them. The elf went everywhere my son went. Each year, when Christmastime was over, Christopher would  have to say goodbye and when he did, left a sad little boy behind.  A few years later, Mittens, the girl elf, was adopted by my daughter. Later, the tiny elf, Bob, Jr joined the family. For many years, this was one of my most favorite traditions at Christmastime. I couldn't wait to see the kids reactions when they arose each morning to see what those silly elves had gotten themselves into! Fast forward a couple of years. My 16 year old son is now juggling school, work and a social life. Gone are the days of make believe where elves ba...

The clock read 5:36 a.m. I had four minutes until the dreadful sound of the alarm would go off.  Everything in me wanted to stay snuggled under the covers but there was work to be done. With one eye open and flashlight in hand, I made my way to my daughter’s room where I pried Mittens the elf out of her arms. I then gathered up Christopher, my son’s elf and stood there asking “what shenanigans can these crazy rascals get into this morning?” Thirty minutes later, I saw Ava peek from around the corner and ask me in a soft tone with slight lisp the same question she had for days “where’s Mittens?” Their scavenger hunt began as they ran from room to room with such anticipation of what they would find. Moments later I heard my most favorite sound on the planet. Both of my little ones chuckled as they discovered their bathroom covered in toilet paper and the two elves sitting ever so innocently on the towel rack. In the middle of that normal Thursday morning, after I mad...