Thanksgiving went okay except for a few hiccups here and there...and we rented a house so it was less travel time for kids and grandkids this year, and nice to come home to a clean house. I spent the next three days catching up on writing and decorating for Christmas. I just got off a phone call with one of my daughters who says she has 'almost all of her Christmas shopping done' and asked for ideas for me and my husband. I'm like...WHAT?!? I just got done with Turkey Day and giving myself a big pat on the back for decorating the house.
Silly me. Forgetting all about the gifts. Hm. It made me think. The gifts aren't the biggest part of Christmas for me...it's the miraculous event of the birth of Christ and the warmth I feel when
Christmas songs are sung and friends say 'Merry Christmas' or 'Happy Holidays'. The way that check-out clerks or servers are more warm and friendly than usual...the softness that blunts the sharper edges of life. It pervades the atmosphere at Christmastime.
The gifts are kind of a bother. I like giving them, but not the time it takes to sort out different wants and needs, then trek to the store or comb through Amazon to buy them. I'd be fine without them, personally, but I'd miss the 'oohs and ahhhs' of kids and grandkids opening them. I'm much more invested in Christmas eve services, Christmas parades, the beautiful lights around town and in neighborhoods. That 'spirit' of Christmas vibe...( I know there are other holy days this time of year, but for me it's the 'holy spirit' of Christmas and baby Jesus) Oh, and vintage Christmas music and good, old-fashioned Christmas carols.
Contented sigh.
I must put 'buy gifts' on my calendar somewhere in between 'finish book four' and 'edit the new manuscript' and 'do critiques for my critique group'. I'm deleting 'vacuum', 'mop', 'wash car', and 'exercise'. (Not really, but sure wish I could.)
I'm getting up from my desk and running into the other room to tell Alexa to play Bing Crosby and Dean Martin and Elvis Christmas songs.
I have my priorities.
And if you want to bless the reader in your life, here's a link to my books! Just in time to get them under the tree!
