Christmas is the season of warm memories, wonderful smells, bright lights and heart-felt good will. The excitement of opening presents under a brightly lit tree nestles deep within the hearts of children and remains long into adulthood. Carols waft gently on the air, beautifully weaving their melodies with love and remembrance. Children wait for snow to blanket the ground, hoping to have a day off from school. Cherished recipes are brought out to pass down the delicious morsels that grandmothers have baked each year to celebrate this special time.

Traditions abound at this time of year. Sending Christmas cards is a way families keep in touch who are separated by the miles. Often, having a word or two to write inside cheers the giver and the receiver alike. Words of remembrance, words of cheer, words of faith shared between friends and loved ones. Finding just the right verse or words is important to convey the feelings to be shared. There is nothing sweeter than knowing you have been remembered by those you hold dear and reading how they feel in a Christmas missive.

Exploring the world of Christmas can be found through the words of those who have gone before. Christmas quotes can be sentimental, humorous, serious or old-fashioned. They come from hymns or stories we’ve heard and read, or from modern Christmas classics that start new traditions. With your imagination open, delight in all the ways that Christmas comes alive through poetry, lyrics and prose. Open yourself wide to find what inspires you about the season. No matter your experiences at this time of year, no matter how old you are, no matter how far from loved ones you may be, expressing the sentiments of your heart through quotes is a Christmas gift you can give freely to others.

“Our hearts grow tender with childhood memories and love of kindred, and we are better throughout the year for having, in spirit, become a child again at Christmas-time.” – Laura Ingalls Wilder