Gosh, can you believe it’s only two days away from Christmas?! Tell me, where has this month gone? Hell, where has this year gone?

Actually though, for as fast as it’s flown by, this holiday season has been a special one for me and I really hate to see it end. I think because of what I went through in October with my health and feeling so blessed that everything worked out, I have not allowed myself to get wrapped up in the tension and hecticness associated with working in retail this time of the year. Usually at this point, I am so tired and OVER the insanity of retail, I can’t wait for it to end. But things are different this year because anytime I start to feel tense, impatient or annoyed, I tell myself, “Remember what you went through Ron, and be grateful. And remember what really matters in life.” And amazingly enough, I immediately feel more in the holiday spirit – the true holiday spirit of JOY.

I’m determined not to allow what I learned back in October to be lost, now that I’m well again. Because that’s very easy to do. Once our lives get back to normal, we often forget to bring forth the lessons.

So yes, this has been a very special Christmas – one of immense gratitude, humbleness, and heart.

Over the past few weeks, I took some photographs of Christmas in Philadelphia.

Please enjoy…

The Christmas tree in Love Park with William Penn atop City Hall in the background.

I LOVE the two little birdies wearing hats! Now, how CUTE are they?

A skater enjoying the ice at the Rothman Rink in Dilworth Park.

I have no idea who these people are but they were having so much fun, I just had to snap a photograph!

Vendor booths in Dilworth Park set up for the Christmas holiday.

Christmas window at Tiffany’s in Philadelphia.
duross & langel – a privately owned soap making shop.

A Christmas tree ornament (a festive cow wearing a boa and dress) I spotted in the window of Show of Hands Gallery.

Reindeer snow globes

Snowflake lights on the walls of City Hall.

A popcorn vendor in Dilworth Park.

I spotted this delightful gentleman on JFK Boulevard dancing to Christmas music. And I wish you all could have seen him in person because he danced with such joy and abandonment. You could tell that he was having the time of his life!

Wishing you and your loved ones a very MERRY and JOYOUS CHRISTMAS!