Making Christmas

Making Christmas

Into the dark and gloom of winter, comes light. Christmas is here!

And perhaps it’s my imagination, but there seems to be more kindness, more magic in the air. 

Our family Christmas has carry-overs from Christmas past. Cookies baked and decorated by my grandchildren (as I did with their parents). There’s the anticipation of delicious food (including special dishes for the four vegetarians, presented, of course, with many jokes). The wine is uncorked and waiting. And I’ve already scouted the desserts. 

We open our gifts before dinner, the tall and beautiful Christmas tree in the corner, some of the decorations made by my grown children (now 56 and 53) when they were young. And we have looked for gifts that say, in a tangible way, see how much I love you, see how well I know you. 

And always, I sit back and watch my family, thinking how much I love them all, and how blessed I am. And I tell myself I will remember this. I hope for a good year, a healthy one, I’ve learned how fragile life is.

Someone puts on Christmas music - traditional carols, not-so-traditional rock. Sometimes I sing along with the traditional ones, I know almost all of them. Off key, on key, it doesn’t matter - it’s all fun and funny - and true.

More true than anything else I know.