I hosted the Christmas Eve gathering for my family. My mom (97) came 100 miles with my sister because she didn't want to miss this last family gathering of her life she said. Talk about pressure to have all of the traditional foods, Mom announcing that this was her last Christmas did that to me. So, I was busy before Christmas. I cleaned and cleaned and cooked and cooked. It was a lovely time.
But that meant for me, Christmas was an extremely quiet affair. Mass at 9:30 and then nothing else planned. I watched some movies in order to make it special and not like every other day. Then the rest of the week, I am not watching the baby because his parents are on holiday and furlow (thank you very much government, and I don't want the wall funded either, so figure something out). Things are quiet around here.
I am working on a couple of projects and have an appointment, but I admit, it is very tempting to start packing up the Christmas decorations. Some years I have done that, but not often. It is nice at least to celebrate the 12 days of Christmas, and if everything is gone, it is hard to do that. I think I will sit on my hands so to speak with the taking down and packing up thing. I need to keep a little Christmas in my heart, to make it last a little longer.
In recent years I have focused too much, I have come to realize, on the sad anniversaries for me at this time of year. I always go to Mass for Holy Innocents because I lost a baby on that day and I will this year. But, for the rest of the hurting times and betrayal and sad memories, I am letting them go as much as possible. I am choosing to remember the holidays when I was a child and a young woman when the time between Christmas and New Years was a time to relax. It was a time to read books, and put puzzles together, and eat too many cookies. It was a time to breathe.
This year I am having a new tradition. This year I will breathe and rest and play. I will not eat too many cookies, but as for the rest of it, I will find ways to be happy and joyful and hopeful this Christmas season. I may not take down the tree until Candlemas. I will be too busy breathing.
But that meant for me, Christmas was an extremely quiet affair. Mass at 9:30 and then nothing else planned. I watched some movies in order to make it special and not like every other day. Then the rest of the week, I am not watching the baby because his parents are on holiday and furlow (thank you very much government, and I don't want the wall funded either, so figure something out). Things are quiet around here.
I am working on a couple of projects and have an appointment, but I admit, it is very tempting to start packing up the Christmas decorations. Some years I have done that, but not often. It is nice at least to celebrate the 12 days of Christmas, and if everything is gone, it is hard to do that. I think I will sit on my hands so to speak with the taking down and packing up thing. I need to keep a little Christmas in my heart, to make it last a little longer.
In recent years I have focused too much, I have come to realize, on the sad anniversaries for me at this time of year. I always go to Mass for Holy Innocents because I lost a baby on that day and I will this year. But, for the rest of the hurting times and betrayal and sad memories, I am letting them go as much as possible. I am choosing to remember the holidays when I was a child and a young woman when the time between Christmas and New Years was a time to relax. It was a time to read books, and put puzzles together, and eat too many cookies. It was a time to breathe.
This year I am having a new tradition. This year I will breathe and rest and play. I will not eat too many cookies, but as for the rest of it, I will find ways to be happy and joyful and hopeful this Christmas season. I may not take down the tree until Candlemas. I will be too busy breathing.