Whatever Is Excellent with Leanne Tuggle
Encouragement and Inspiration for women choosing to rise above the “just survive” mentality and instead set their mind on thriving in all that they say and do. The ultimate goal is to equip you to pursue whatever is excellent in the midst of your ordinary life and in all that you say and do.
Whatever Is Excellent with Leanne Tuggle
15: Christmas Through the Eyes of a Child with Analise Tuggle
How do cherished family traditions and heartfelt wishes shape the magic of Christmas?
Join me and my nine-year-old daughter, Analise, as we unwrap the beauty of our holiday celebrations. This episode brings you right into the warmth of our home, as Analise shares her joy in decorating our tree with ornaments collected from around the world, and her love for holiday classics like "The Santa Clause." We also dive into the sweet world of baking, with Analise revealing her enthusiasm for our family’s sugar cookie recipe, passed down through generations. Her thoughtful nature shines through when she recounts the joy of sharing these homemade treats with neighbors, turning simple gestures into lasting connections.
As we explore the deeper meaning of Christmas, Analise opens her heart with a wish for everyone to embrace the spirit of kindness and belief in Jesus. She discusses how the birth of Jesus inspires our traditions of giving, with a hope for a world united in peace and love. We share our excitement for the season, encouraging listeners to treasure time with family and friends, and to reflect on the true essence of Christmas. This episode is a celebration of joy, tradition, and meaningful giving that will inspire you to see the holidays through the eyes of a child filled with wonder and hope.
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Friends, this is such a fun opportunity. Today I'm going to be interviewing my nine-year-old Annalise. I have some questions for her about Christmas and some of her favorite traditions and things like that, and I'm excited for you to get to hear from her. So, Annalise, thank you so much for being on. Whatever is Excellent today. I am so excited for you to join me here and I have some questions for you about Christmas. Are you ready to answer them?
Analise:Yes.
Leanne:All right. So the first question I have for you is what is your favorite Christmas tradition?
Analise:My favorite Christmas tradition is probably decorating the Christmas tree, because it's just so fun to look back at all those places we've been and there's Christmas music playing in the background and it's just so fun.
Leanne:So when you say all of the different places you've been, what do you mean by that? When you're decorating the tree, you said I like seeing all of the different places that we've been. What do you mean by that? When you're decorating the tree, you said I like seeing all of the different places that we've been. What do you mean?
Analise:Well, I mean, some of the ornaments we have that are wooden, have these pictures or these engravings of places when we've lived Like, yeah, okay, like Germany and Japan Well, most of them are Germany, but stuff like that.
Leanne:Okay, that's really cool. I like that. Okay, here's a new question for you. What is your favorite Christmas movie and why do you like it?
Analise:Well, my favorite Christmas movie is probably the Santa Claus, because it's just kind of cool to see this guy turn from a normal person into a Santa Claus looking person, and also how he changes his diet from eating normal foods to scarfing up candy and stuff like that.
Leanne:That's pretty silly.
Analise:And probably the changes from the first time he delivered presents and being all frustrated at the kids waking up and watching him and then, like the last scene, when he was doing that, he was like all happy and jolly and stuff.
Leanne:So you liked seeing his change of character from kind of grumpy and not very nice to being kind.
Analise:Yeah, and jolly and happy and Santa Claus more like cause. He was like ever. Since Santa Claus fell off the roof he decided he became the Santa Claus.
Leanne:Okay, I like that that's really cool. Okay, Since you were talking about the treats, like how he changed his diet to be cookies and candy what is your favorite holiday treat or dessert?
Analise:Well, I kind of like when we make um those sugar cookies, those homemade sugar cookies, with the boys. Sometimes it's very fun. Yeah, you like that. I just like frosting them and they're really delicious.
Leanne:Okay, I like that. Do you want to know something cool about that sugar cookie recipe? What? It was my great grandmother's recipe, so it's been passed down and maybe someday you'll get to do it with your kids, won't that? Be, fun, yeah, so earlier you were talking about decorating the tree and having Christmas music on in the background. If you could only listen to one Christmas song all season long, which one would it be?
Analise:Probably Mary Did you Know.
Leanne:Oh yeah, why do you like that one?
Analise:Well, it's just the way they sing it, like they say she delivered her son, but then he would deliver, and I kind of like how, that kind of like I was like, well, I can think about that, but that actually happened, because he is the Redeemer.
Leanne:That's really cool. I love that song too. Okay, so a big part of Christmas, and I think the part that kids like the most are the presents. Would you agree, yes, Okay. So do you prefer to give presents or receive them?
Analise:Well, that's a hard one, because I really like receiving presents and being able to play with them and have fun with them. But also it's kind of different when you're giving presents. And when you're giving presents, and instead of that feeling of like getting, it's like giving, and that feeling always feels warm and happy, that I'm seeing other people smiling and I just it feels good. So I don't, I'd say that I kind of like both of them, okay.
Leanne:I think that makes sense. So I have another fun question for you what is your best Christmas memory so far? You're nine years old, so what is your best Christmas memory?
Analise:Well, when we moved here last year and we didn't really know our neighbors and we were trying to get to know them and a few of them were a little angry because me and my brothers kept chucking toys over there over the fence, accidentally sometimes, and there was these neighbors that kept getting the toys.
Analise:That seemed a little grumpy. And then when Christmas came around and I talked about those sugar cookies, we made some for all our neighbors and then I think it was Christmas Eve and we handed them and we went down the street and across the street and we gave our neighbors the cookies and our Christmas Christmas pictures and we kind of got to know them way better and it was a good memory also. Um, after we did that, like a the day after or a few days after that, we got like some we got presents and treats that they gave us. And I was thinking about the law of reciprocity, because we handed them Christmas cookies and we didn't really know a few of them and we just gave them to them and we started it and then they finished it by giving us stuff too.
Leanne:And do they still seem like their grumpy neighbors? Nope, yeah, did we make friends? Yes, oh, that's good.
Analise:I love that and I bet we're going to do it this Christmas too.
Leanne:Yeah, I think that would be good. I love that you just mentioned the law of reciprocity. That is something we talk a lot about and it's a really cool thing. But here's another question I have for you If you could give one gift, to everyone in the world.
Analise:What would you want to give them? I'd want to give them a Bible, because then they could learn about Jesus and then there could be lots of Christian people around. And you know, whenever I meet somebody who's a believer, it always feels like it's just a different friendship or it just feels different, like we all know each other. We all like each other, no matter how different we look or anything. It just feels homey and I like, and I'd like that so that everyone could know about Jesus and be happy.
Leanne:Okay, so you want to give everyone in the world a Bible so that they have the opportunity to know about Jesus? Yes, I think that sounds like a very good idea. Okay, we've been talking a lot about Christmas and you have a lot of really fun memories and things, but now here is a big question what do you think is the true meaning of Christmas?
Analise:I think the true meaning of Christmas is Jesus being born and that he was born as a gift. And that's probably where the presence came in somehow. Presence came in somehow and so that we could all have a redeemer and look forward to heaven because he, because he saved us, but he would probably have to be born before he saved us okay, so the true meaning of christmas is celebrating the birth of jesus, would you say.
Leanne:That makes sense yes okay, one last question for you. If you could make one Christmas wish for everyone in the world, what would it be?
Analise:That everyone would believe in Jesus.
Leanne:Okay, and why do you think that would be a good Christmas wish?
Analise:Because then nobody would hurt each other and there'd be no war and people would be kind to each other and then it would be so much easier to do things and there'd be lots of happiness and lots of love, reciprocity, and everyone would be happy and then one day go to heaven with Jesus oh, I think that sounds like a beautiful Christmas wish.
Leanne:Annalise, thank you so much for all of your great thoughts about Christmas. I am excited to celebrate this holiday with you, and we really hope that all of you have a great Christmas celebration with your families and that you get to spend time with your people, those who you you love, and do the things that you love most. We wish you a Merry Christmas.