This year there will be just the three of us here for Christmas. We alternate holidays with the Florida Heatherlys, and last year was "ours" at Christmastime...so I decided to simplify things a bit, especially decorating-wise, and I'm kind of enjoying it! Like most of you, we have way more decorations than we really need to bring out...ornaments from 42 years of marriage, lots of homemade ones from our grown children's childhoods, the Santa collection, dishes and plates and trays and mugs galore, several small trees, lots of Christmas do-dads, etc. I just left them in their resting places in the attic and brought out the manger scene, wreaths, stockings, Daddy's Scandanavian revolving nativity...and of course the tree! It's a new one this year and just beautiful...and the lights work! Yea! We put garland on the staircase and balcony rails for the first time, and they look so pretty! That's about it...and I LIKE it.
There's something peaceful about simplicity. It is freeing and refreshing. And it'll be so simple to dismantle, after the holidays. I like to leave everything up til January 6...Epiphany...Old Christmas. That's what we did when I was a child, and it makes me happy to do it that way. We'll see!
I'm finished with the Christmas cards, and that's a good feeling. We LOVE hearing from family and friends and seeing the pictures and readying the notes. Part of what makes Christmas so special is the ties with friends from all around...catching up, remembering old times, keeping in touch with friends we see and those we don't...it's a warm-fuzzy for sure!
I need to do more shopping and then shipping...then maybe I can bake some or make some candy from Mother's old timely recipes. She was a master of Christmas treats, and I miss helping her with that task...and sampling all the yummy things that she created and loved sharing so much.
Yes, simplifying decorating and buying is just enhancing this beautiful time of year and allowing us to focus on the real meaning of the season: sharing with the less fortunate, enjoying family and friends, relaxing in front of the tree, having friends over, enjoying music and carols, contributing to our favorite charities and causes...I think perhaps simplicity best honors the One whose birthday we celebrate.
Don't you?
CONCORD CHRONICLE - Dedicated to God, the author of peace and lover of concord
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