This Christmas, give time.

Since my 29th Christmas is approaching, I can say I have experienced many different kinds of holidays.
The years when you're still a kid and don't have to worry about making presents, because you are the center of the attention of the whole family; the excitement of waiting and wishing and shaking presents when no one is looking...
The ones as a grown up, when you realize it's the 24th of december and most of your presents are still to be found and you really don't have the time or the right mood to think about it.
The one when you have been working for a while, so let's share! A lot of presents for everybody and who cares about prices!
The ones when you barely have enough money to buy a ticket to go home and spend Christmas with your family, and don't really know how to buy a single present.
The one spent packing and saying goodbye before leaving a town, or just a house.
The one when you have too many people you want to spend your time with and feel bad because you can't please everybody; the one when all of your friends are not coming home for Christmas and who knows when you're going to see them again.
The ones when the whole family reunites and unwrapping presents lasts a couple of hours 'cause there are just too many people!
The one when your family is falling to pieces and nobody knows, and you can't seem to find the right place to stay.

So many different kinds of Christmas, but still it's exciting to pack a bag and go home, hug parents and grandmas, see how all of my cousins are growing up becoming adults (I still can't conceive some of them actually attend a university!)...a strange atmosphere, a bit nostalgic as the years go by, but also sweet and warm.

Presents are one of the things that make Christmas special and esciting; both receiving and making them.
It's so nice to receive something and realize you were in someone else's thoughts.

via Pinterest

Handmade gifts are the best thing ever. Whenever I wear the scarves or socks my mom made, I can imagine her knitting and thinking about me, the cat looking at her with a resigned look in his eyes, the TV on and maybe something cooking in the oven.
I still have some cards made with pencils and salt glued on Santa's beard, made from my roommates, and the memory of Pandoro eaten with hot tea and lots of laughs with mouth covered in icing sugar.

via Pinterest

Sometimes the smallest present can cheer up a person more than you can imagine; it has to be made with love and nothing more.
Maybe it's not what you were wishing to give; maybe it's not what you were expecting to receive; just remember the thought is actually what matters.
The thought that in this crazy, frenetic life, someone has put aside all of his problems and has spent his time thinking about you, maybe making something with his own hands; and time is priceless.