My latest book has been turned in. Thanksgiving and visiting relatives have gone home (I miss them already). The calendar has been turned to the last month of the year, and Christmas is in the air. I’m filled with an absolute sense of celebration!

Here in Montana, we are a livily bunch who celebrate our heritage, our families, our land. We even celebrate the cold. We have several celebrations throughout the winter, including a Christmas Stroll in December where downtown is closed to traffic and the shops and vendors keep us warm with holiday refreshments and sales. We bundle up in our thermalite and longjohns and have a grand old time. It’s part of the charm of Montana.

Here in the north country 4-wheel drive is the norm and a great many cars have ski-racks on top. Snow isn’t seen as a deterent, but rather a common way of life. Since moving up here now nearly 8 years ago, I have marveled at how this part of the country doesn’t shut down for much of any reason. When I lived in Kansas we’d get ice and snows that would cancel government jobs and school. In Texas, where I lived 2 years as a young girl, the tiniest amount of the powdery white stuff would close down the city. But not so in Montana. Here we go – no matter the snow. Or temperature. Or windchill.

Schools seldom have snow days. I was informed when I enrolled my son years ago that the buses would run until temps hit -25 degrees F. Between that and -30F, I was on my own to get him to school, and at -31F they would most likely close school. However, I’ve seen it at -35F and school was still in session.

But even if you don’t like the snow and the cold – I encourage you to pull on your spirit of celebration. It’s a marvelous time of year. A time for thanksgiving. A time for encouragement. A time for love. Celebrate no matter your location–no matter who can be with you–no matter the economy. God has given us a wondrous gift in His Son–a celebration of life that has no equal. We owe it to Him to bless others with the same love and joy that He has given us. We were brought into this world to celebrate with creation all that God has bestowed upon us. Celebrate! Life is short–you don’t want to miss the party!

Tracie