Christmas and My Inner Child

I miss having little kids home for Christmas.... my kids are all in their 20's and have homes of their own. We still spend Christmas together and we all have a great time, but there is just something about seeing Christmas through the eyes of a child....
Their wonderment and awe when the tree is lit for the first time... making Christmas cookies and waiting for Santa.... I miss it all! I know someday I will be able to have it all again with the grandkids, but that is in the future...

On the Psychology Today site I found an article on how to awaken your inner child... Try these 5 easy steps and bring more child-like joy into your life:

1. Jump for joy. Today, getting excited may involve a gasp or a fist-pump, but remember when you literally jumped for joy? We should learn to employ that vigorous enthusiasm to our lives a bit more often. And if you find the act of jumping too embarrassing, then at least allow your soul to jump for joy.
   
2. Believe in miracles. In a world where research is the basis for drawing conclusions and reason is rewarded, allow yourself to believe the unbelievable in life.
   
3. Play. Nourish your inner child by being completely silly with friends or by enjoying an activity you wouldn't normally do. Taking that step to simply play and expend energy will produce a newfound sense of awe. The feeling of wonder that comes with peeling back the layers of thought and assessment is lost all too often in adulthood.
4. Draw outside the lines. It seems so simple, but we spend our days caged in by boundaries and consequences. While these concepts define our comfort zone, sometimes tearing down those walls and exposing our imperfections takes us to a place of greater learning. A child's uninhibited attitude toward tasks and challenges is admirable, and certainly something to learn from.
5. Love unconditionally. Why do we tie strings to our love? And when did we learn to do that? One of the most beautiful things about children is their ability to love. They love unconditionally their families, their neighbors, their everyday experiences, and people from all walks of life-they love questioning the world itself! It's amazing (and disappointing) that we can lose this ability as we grow. Reclaim your ability to love unconditionally-even if it's just for an hour. 

Guess I should try some of these myself and find the child like joy of Christmas within ME!