Friday, December 12, 2008

So This is Christmas...

Mary wrote a lovely post about choosing a day or two ago. It really connected with me. There have been times in my life when I have had to choose the good, the happy, the beautiful over others things, feelings, people who are the opposite. Though I firmly believe that there are times when you have to let some things simply be, wash over you from head to toe until you are drained and empty. More often than not, though, I choose to be happy.

This time of year I am choosing to find the lovely bits of Christmas that drown out the commercialism and the busyness of the season. A few of my favorite Christmas things:

Setting up the creche with the children. They always put poor Joseph in the back. This year he was accidentally decapitated. Thank goodness for super glue.

Supervising the hanging of our odd assorment of homemade ornaments, store bought goods and candy canes, most of them clumped together in various spots on the tree.

Scraping the pot of the leftover bits of fudge and spooning them into my mouth. It is the same fudge recipe my mother used when I was little, found on the back of the marshmallow creme jar.

Counting down the days with two very eager children.

Reading "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" so many times I have it memorized.

Singing Christmas Carols in the car. Every day. Every trip. Everywhere.

Cards coming in the mail. A daily reminder that I MUST get ours done and mailed.

Hiding Santa stuff in the attic, the closet, the cupboards. Knowing that, a little sadly, this might be the last year the seven-almost-eight year old "believes." He's asking some very tough questions about the "science" behind this whole Santa gig. "Yes. Well how do we know about Rudolph if no one has ever seen him?" and "How does Santa get into the houses with no chimneys?"

Reminiscing about Christmases past with brother, sister, parents. My siblings used to ask me if I could hear the reindeer on the roof. Which meant I was too excited to sleep by far. Were those reindoor hooves I heard?

Looking forward to all the Christmas treats to be had at the parties. Those delicious party foods you only get to sample a few times a year.

The gaudy Christmas sweater with glued on stars, sprinkles and beads. Only time of year I'd ever wear something like it.

7 comments:

Mary said...

The most beautiful time of year imo .... even though we are going to Adelaide for Christmas this year I have realised that I must do some Christmas baking next week and read some Christmas books to the kids otherwise that sprinkling of Christmas happiness that cheers the house so much every year will be missing.

I agree too wholeheartedy that though I intend to find joy I KNOW there will be days that I just need to let things BE.

Love to you my darling friend ...

Anonymous said...

The commercialism begins so early in the eyar, too. Earlier each year, I think, although perhaps that is because I am getting older.... Peace and love is formed in the most basic of ways and with the basic needs. I so love the way you worded this. xx

M said...

So got to start my cards...

Lesley said...

Ahem .. I actually heard Father Christmas's sleigh bells in the sky one Christmas Eve in the middle of the last century. I must have been four or five, I reckon.
Don't know what it actually was, but I remember being able to go to sleep once I'd heard those jingly bells.

Anonymous said...

I need to see a photograph of that sweater - you can't hog all the happy, you should share it - in a photograph...

Aunty Evil said...

Oooh, Lesley, me too! It was only for a couple of jingles, but I definitely heard them!

Melinda...

Must.
Have.
Fudge.
Recipe!

Fairlie - www.feetonforeignlands.com said...

It's just not Christmas in my opinion, unless someone in the nativity scene gets decapitated.

I love the "bits" of Christmas too.

FEEDJIT Live Traffic Map

count