I am no Emily Dickinson. Definitely not even close to Robert Frost. And even though I might add a “-th” to random words and say “thou” or “thee” on occasion (just because I can), I will never be a great playwright or poet like William Shakespeare. Today, I would like to share what Christmas means to me by way of a milspouse poem. This won’t be winning any poetry awards anytime soon, but if I have fun writing it (and you get just a tiny bit of enjoyment out of reading it), then I vote yes.

Here goes:

You probably know that I’m a proud military spouse,
It’s no real secret to anyone around,
I, out of necessity, often do things differently,
Living life with “boots on the ground.”

Being married to a service member,
Changes my perspective on much,
Especially when it comes to holidays,
How we celebrate special occasions and such.

Every year right after Turkey Day,
Seems the fall air and attitudes shift,
So many in our world change from thankfulness,
To the chaos of who gets what gift.

But to me, the holidays are greater,
Much bigger than shopping and decor,
More profound than feasting and vacation,
Oh yes, to me the holidays are more.

Now don’t get me wrong,
I love the cake, candy, and pie,
A delicious holiday ham,
Makes me giggly with glee, no lie.

The moments of hope,
December 25th I genuinely anticipate,
But when all is said and done,
The commercialized side of the holidays isn’t great.

 It’s not just about those twinkling lights,
That methodically adorn our fake tree,
This season is a reminder of love, joy, and peace,
And that the country in which I live is still free.

There’s something about this grand old holiday,
Something about this time of year,
That makes me reflect on what is truly important,
The things that bring my heart sincere cheer.

The love of my family,
Even if far away,
Sometimes Skype or FaceTime,
Is a big part of Christmas Day.

The prayers for our troops,
Whether at home or abroad,
Giving thanks for our freedom,
Wherever American feet trod.

Even greater to me,
Is whose birthday we celebrate,
That baby in a manger,
On that event is my rooted faith.

There’s nothing wrong with the giving of gifts,
Or the stockings hung by the chimney with care,
But far deep in my heart,
I know rests greater meaning of Christmas there.

So dear friends, rejoice!
Have a great holiday season,
Join my family, my service member and me
As we celebrate for many heartfelt reasons.

May this precious holiday season,
Find your world prosperous and true,
Have a Merry Christmas and Blessed New Year
From this AWN Milspouse to you.

Dear readers, what does Christmas mean to you? I would love to hear your heart on this subject. Feel free to join the conversation and leave a comment below.

From my family to yours, Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!