Wednesday, December 25, 2013

What Christmas Means

Christmas morning dawns. Here, in North Carolina, I am the first one up, so I drink my coffee and watch the wrens and nuthatches attack the suet hanging outside on the deck. For me, one Christmas happened last night, when most that is left of my biological family gathered at my mother's house. Christmas Eve is hectic, and involves last-minute wrapping and cooking and other details. The children--teenagers now--gather upstairs to talk while scanning their Instagrams and emails; the adults sit at the kitchen table, drinking wine while the glazed ham finishes baking.

Later, we unwrap presents, one at a time. This is the moment the kids define as Christmas--the receiving of gifts. The surprise of finding out what is in the box, in the bag, in the card. As the presents are unwrapped, I wonder most about how they came to be, what sparked the thought to purchase or make a particular item for a particular person. The process behind the present.

I had many Christmases this year. The one last night, of course, and the one at my own home several days ago before we journeyed to my mother's home. I had Christmas at Thanksgiving with my husband's family, with his sister and mother. I experienced Thanksgiving in Newport with my friend Colleen. Christmas came to another friend's small cottage on Hardy Pond, and in Leicester, my Aunt and I celebrated with yoga and rice pudding. 

Christmas came in Hershey Park, and in Homewood before writing class, and in my hammock while the swallows swooped through the air for bugs. It came during early morning walks with my husband waiting for our daughter's bus. Christmas arrived in a CSA bag filled with kale and Brussels sprouts and sweet potatoes. Christmas came during meditation and over meals made with tomatoes and asparagus from the garden. Christmas comes every morning the ones I love wake healthy, happy, hopeful.

May you have a joyous Christmas, whatever it means to you, and when. 

Peace...

9 comments:

  1. One of the ways Christmas came to me was in your essay.

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    1. And when you post your nature musings I feel as if I am unwrapping a gift. Merry Christmas dear friend! Peace...

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  2. Christmas is so many things to so many people. Some of them good, some of them sad and bad.
    I am so very glad that you have met, welcomed and nurtured the very best of Christmas - and hope your days continue to be full of it.
    Gorgeous post - and thank you.

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    1. Thank you EC! And I hope, more than anything, that you and yours continue to do the same. As you already do. Peace...

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  3. Thank you for this, Linda. Merry Christmas, again.

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    1. Merry Christmas to you, my nomad writing friend! And thank you for making my 2013 extra special. Peace...

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  4. I hope you had a joyous holiday as well, Linda. Peace...

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  5. "Christmas comes but once a year..." - How absurd your post makes the statement beginning this comment.

    What a marvelous view you have of life, of love, of Christmas, Linda. Thank you for sharing it.

    Wishing you much peace.

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  6. I was going to say "Sorry I'm late", but now I feel as though maybe I'm not late so much as early. You so often say just what I need to hear exactly as I need to hear it Linda. Thank you. Happy New Year to you!

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