By Samantha Taylor, Samantha Taylor Fitness
It’s hard to believe the Christmas season is here, so one thing I really enjoy doing to get myself in the Christmas spirit is enjoying some traditional experiences. I will share what some of those are and I’ll start with some Christmas attractions that I know around the area and then share some great movies.
I always enjoy going to Christmas Town at Busch Gardens, they have lots of great Christmas lights and an awesome ice-skating show. My favorite show is the Three Wise Men. It’s spectacular and shows a part of the story of why many people celebrate Christmas, about Christ’s birth.
My other favorite place to go is Seaworld, for they also have amazing Christmas lights and they have an awesome nativity play including camels and other many live animals. It’s actually pretty funny too. Make sure to check out the “snow flurries” (bubbles, well you know Florida’s version of snow). Just don’t open your mouth when they’re flying in the air! And seeing the lighted trees show on the lake is a must see too.
I also really enjoy going to the zoo, they’ve got great Christmas lights and it’s fun to walk around although you can’t see any animals but it’s neat to see the place in the dark with sparkling lights everywhere.
And lastly for events, if you would like to see a Christmas play with a huge choir and beautiful songs, Idlewild Baptist has one Dec 9-11th.
As far as my favorite Christmas time movies the very first one is an animated movie called “The Star”. It’s an adorable movie telling the nativity story from a donkey’s perspective but it’s a really cute movie and very well made.
My second favorite movie is “The Nativity Story” that was made in 2006 (so you know which one to look for). Telling the powerful story of Joseph and Mary going on that 90-mile trek to Bethlehem with a nine month pregnant woman riding on a donkey, is quite a miraculous story that impacted this world.
None of these movies are 100% accurate but they follow mostly along the true story of the Bible and I always find it really gets you in the Christmas spirit watching these movies. I always like to also read the story straight from the Bible and I read the book of Matthew and Luke. I like to always go back and read the true story right from the source!
And my third favorite Christmas movie, even though it has nothing to do with the original celebration of Christmas, but “Elf” is a classic. I often find myself wanting to hit all the buttons on an elevator just to see it light up like a Christmas tree just like he does in that movie!
I hope you can get out and enjoy some of these beautiful experiences outside enjoying sparkling lights or enjoying a nice warm blanket and curling up to a movie. I truly do love December because I love all the Christmas lights but mostly, I love the feeling of the spirit in the air. People are nicer, they’re more willing to talk about God and it is one of the number one holidays they are the most willing to go to church.
So, I encourage you to invite someone to go to church with you and maybe if you haven’t gone in a while, you go back as well. Sometimes that’s all you need to get started again. Life has certainly been challenging for all of us but I can tell you that without my relationship with God, I can’t even imagine how much more difficult it would have been not having His wisdom and comfort.
I hope you have a wonderful time celebrating Christ being born on this earth and how one person had so much impact on this world, it’s quite astounding! And if you don’t have a relationship with Him, maybe it’s time to start exploring what that experience is like.
I also would not do my health and fitness service to this community without giving you some delicious healthy cookie recipes (and some fudge too) that have no sugar but taste amazing. It’s nice to have a backup with all those tempting foods around. Go to www.SamanthaTaylorFitness.com/cookierecipes Have a wonderful Christmas!