It means a little bit more.

A Barbie DreamHouse. Polly Pockets. A guitar. Art supplies. American Girl Doll + accessories. 

As a little kid, my Christmas lists were never-ending. There seemed to be a constant supply of things I wanted Santa Claus to bring me [and that probably had a lot to do with the fact that my attention span was even smaller as a child, and every kid wants every toy, right?] and my list got longer and longer as I learned how to spell more and more words. 

It's funny. As I've gotten older and learned about a thousand and a half more items to ask for--I've had a harder time deciding what I want for Christmas. 

I think this gets more and more true every year. 

I don't want a dozens of new toys or a bunch of new gadgets under the tree anymore. 

I want the people I care about to be safe. 

I want to do well in school. 

I want people to get along. 

I want the people I love to be healthy--and this Christmas I'd give anything for a cure for cancer. 

And ultimately, I want to fall in love and be happy. 

You can't find this stuff in a store or on Amazon Prime--and that's been an interesting lesson to learn. 

You get older and grow up and move out and realize that Christmas is so much more than making a list and opening presents. There really is a spirit during this season and it's something I'd pay money to keep around all year round. Maybe that's what I want for Christmas, this feeling through July. 

This year especially, I've had a hard time deciding what I want to ask for when there's so much going on that I can't fix and so many things I want [and people around me want] that simply can't be given. 

It's made me incredibly grateful for the little things this holiday season, and even more grateful that I know the reason we celebrate this time of year.

The Grinch said it best [as Dr. Seuss usually does]. 

"It came without ribbons. It came without tags. It came with out packages, boxes, or bags. And he puzzled and puzzled 'til his puzzler was sore. Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before. What if Christmas, he thought, didn't come from a store. 

What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more."