Slow down for Christmas—or speed up?

The two things that I hear most from friends at this time of year are, “I just haven’t got the Christmas spirit yet” and “I wish things would slow down so I could enjoy Christmas.” Last Sunday our minister preached about slowing down so we can open our hearts to the miracles of the holidays—Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanza—though he was referring to opening our hearts and minds to the miracle of the Baby Jesus.

I’m here to disagree on both points. The Christmas spirit is alive, well, and flourishing in my cottage. I have a small table-top tree, crowned with aa tacky turquoise paper maiche angel that’s been in the family for years—sentimental value, you know. My Scottish ornaments, a gift from good friends, are there, and last night another friend hung a plastic angel which she said reminded her of the ornaments she had as a child. Now that cheap ornament holds sentimental meaning for me. I’m told that in our attic I have a storage container full of ornaments, most with a story behind them. Maybe another year.

The coffee table holds a Scottish Santa complete with bagpipes—he’s called Santa Mac—and a wonderful Kris Kringle figure by folk artist Jim Shores, along with some fancy purple TCU holiday napkins that Jordan got me. And last night someone gave me some Texas cocktail napkins that say Bubba Santa.

On a side table is a glass brick, probably five inches square with Christmas lights in it, and my patio is alive with tiny green neon lights that reflect on the white wall of the neighbors’ guest house. Neither photograph well or I would share them.

And every night, Jacob comes out to open the digital advent calendar—last night it was a snowman skiing downhill, and the object was to score points by collecting gifts on the way down the slope. I still don’t understand it, but Jacob had such fun he stayed too long, and his mother called him to come finish his chores. Friends last night were scornful of digital advent calendars, but I am bowled over by the creativity this one shows. It’s an Edinburgh Christmas from the Jacqui Lawson Studio.

Christmas is all around us, there for the having, if we will reach out and welcome it. I don’t think the spirit mysteriously descends on us willy nilly.

In spite of a nice social life and  lots of family and friends, I live a fairly solitary existence out here in my cottage, working at my computer. So when Russ Peterman suggested from the pulpit that we slow down, I thought for a moment I might just come to a dead halt. Hurry is not often in my vocabulary. But one of the things I love about the holiday season is that the tempo of my life speeds up—this week there is not one day when I can get up and work all day at my own speed, the kind of day I treasure but am glad to give up for the holidays. There’s something on my calendar every day—a dinner, a lunch, a happy hour. It’s the season to rejoice with friends, even ones you see frequently, and these celebrations remind me how lucky I am to love so many and be loved in return. I think that love opens the heart to the miracle of Christmas. Slow down? Nope, I want to gallop into the season at full speed.

The first real day of 2014

Did you know that today was considered the most depressing day of the year? It's because kids go back to school, people go back to work, and vacation comes to a crashing halt. Frigid temperature across this nation this year probably added to the depression.
Although it wasn't depressing, today was all those things to me--the day I planned to get back to routine, to do my yoga, to drink less wine, to get real work done at my desk. It only worked out medium well.
By coincidence, this is also Twelfth Night or Epiphany or, as my neighbor calls it, Little Christmas. It marks the night the Three Wise Man arrived with their gifts for the Baby Jesus, signifying the great gift God has given his people--the gift of a new life, led by a new savor.
I remember from my childhood the tradition of a neighbor who was a surrogate aunt for me. We each put a small branch of greenery on the fire and made a silent wish for the coming year. It's become a tradition in my family, and now we've roped neighbors Jay and Susan into it. So tonight, we each burned a branch (okay, mine missed the flames twice and Jay finally had to put in it for me--wonder if that invalidates my wish?). We had a jolly good time and had a supper of the beef casserole I mentioned last night on Potluck with Judy (http://potluckwithjudy.blogspot.com/2014/01/cooking-up-storm.html), So good that Jordan and I kept sneaking back for "just a little bit more" but it will feed Cox's Army.
And the reason I got fairly well off schedule today was that it too me most of the morning to make the casserole. The fellowship of family and friends was well worth it, and I'll make up the work another day. But, alas, not tomorrow. Since Epiphany is over, my task for tomorrow is to take down Christmas, always a sad chore.
So tonight I have the indoor lights on the mantel and buffet blazing and a fire in the fireplace. From my desk I can see the festive lights Jay and Susan keep in their arbor, and if I roll my chair to the other side of the office I can see their multi-colored lights on the front porch. One last night of Christmas magic. I love it.

The holidays are upon us

Every year, we all bemoan the fact that Christmas things come out in stores the day after Halloween, but this year it seems to me more people have begun to prepare for the holidays earlier than ever--and that includes me I suspect the reality has sunk in that Thanksgiving is really late this year and after that it will be two winks before Christmas.
Eighty-plus temperatures did not create a Christmas feel last night, but I bribed Christian and Jacob (Jordan was out of town), Susan and Jay to come for supper and get my Christmas decorations out of the attic. It's an annual chore they all dread, but none of them will let me go into the attic. Sue and Teddy came by before supper for a drink, and we all sat on the deck and talked, laughed, and drank too much wine. Dinner was, ahem, delayed. I fixed a Mexican casserole which was okay but probably not a keeper and a killer black bean/corn salad--really good. Jacob even ate the casserole because we all laughed at him when he said, "How about if I go straight to the ice cram?" Susan and I cleared dishes but Jay and Christian lingered at the table until I wondered if they'd forgotten the mission for which I fed them. Just as I was about to remind them, they got up and got to work. It was accomplished in no time--but now I have to deal with all those plastic bags in the guest room! And wrap packages.
I have, as I've mentioned, started cooking. Some satisfactory sausage balls are in the freezer, along with some that will have to be thrown out. Jacob and I made chocolate mini-muffins, and today I added my family's traditional cheese ball to the freezer--with the result that the front of my T-shirt is green with parsley. I have butter softening, hoping I'll at least get the dough made for peanut butter cookies tonight. Then maybe this weekend Jacob can help me dip the ends in melted dark chocolate and then crushed peanuts. A lot of work but oh so good.
I am almost through with shopping but with sixteen in the family I keep thinking,, "Oh, this one is getting more than that one" and I worry and buy more. Got to stop that.
I enjoy the holidays, love them, love having my family together as I will this year, but along about now it looks like a lot of work. And how did it get to be mid-November already anyway?