Christmas is our favorite time of the year, and we’d like to express our gratitude to our guests for being such a blessing to us.
It’s hard to describe the joy we have getting call after call from folks who are planning a getaway with their family and loved ones. We get the privilege of being invited to participate with our guests while they plan out some if the most exciting events in their lives. In the past year we’ve been honored to be included in plans for weddings, honeymoons, anniversaries, engagements, surprise gifts, romantic getaways, family reunions, church retreats, and a whole list of others. The excitement in our guests’ voices is infectious. When we’re away from work, we often find ourselves telling friends and family members about the cool vacations we’ve helped plan with our guests. It’s really a delight, and we thank you for allowing us to be a part of some of the most joyous occasions in your lives.
Hanukkah just ended last week, and Christmas is only a few days away. Many of us have likely been caught up in the hurried pace of shopping and preparation for guests. We want to encourage you in the rush of the season to be sure and slow down for time with your friends and family. Leave work a little earlier, turn off the television a little sooner, and be sure to just spend some time with your kids, your parents, aunts and uncles, and close friends. Ask them lots of questions about what they’ve been doing, and get reconnected if you’ve been apart for a while.
Winter is our busiest season, but it’s also the time we get a chance to be constantly reminded of the things that are most important to us. This time of year sees the celebration of both religious and cultural events that pull our families closer together. This is one reason why the season is such a wonderful time. Families everywhere will be gathering to renew relationships around Christmas trees, candles, fireplaces, and dinner tables. It’s a great opportunity to freely offer hugs and love even to those who may have wronged us in the past. And perhaps we can hope that we’ll be similarly embraced by those we have wronged. It’s a time for us to encourage each other to renew relationships and place a greater value on the people around us than we do on the differences and hurts we may harbor. It’s a chance for us to say, “Let there be peace on earth, and let it begin with me.”
We thank each of our guests for the blessings you have brought to our family, and we pray that God will bless all of you throughout the coming year.
