It's Christmas season. Hanukkah is past and now we're into Christmas - not "The Holidays" or "The Holiday Season" or any of that other nonsense.
If some group wants to establish some new winter festival, like Christmas or like Hanukkah which commemorates an historical event, go for it - but do not demand that I or others who ascribe to the joy of Christmas stop expressing ourselves. That ain't gonna happen. So, in keeping with that bold and clear statement:
Merry Christmas!
In our household, we won't be doing Christmas cards. Buying ten cards for $10 and then paying $0.50 each to mail them ($5) on top of the time and energy spent writing that once-a-year note to people I otherwise don't communicate with makes no sense to me.
We won't be exchanging presents. Spending time and energy running from store to store to store looking for something that will probably end up in the back of the recipient's closet makes no sense to me.
Winding up in January looking into the figurative wallet and thinking, "Geez! Did we really spend that much?" makes no sense to me.
We won't be driving ourselves crazy with setting up the tree, stringing wires and decorating it. Getting out all the other knickknacks and decorations to spread through the house - living room and dining room and family room - all so we can take it all down and put it away again in two weeks.
Ours is a quiet period of normal living. And I like it this way.
When daughter was still at home and before MIL's illness back in 2012 we did the seasonal craziness - the tree went up the day after Thanksgiving. We would spending a day diving into the attic, pulling out the boxes of decorations and setting everything out. We would check the lights and argue about how best to wire the tree. Then, when it was all over and up, I would dive back into the attic to put the storage boxes away, all so the process could be reversed the day after New Years. We also did the cards and the shopping and the stressing out.
Since then, since MIL moved downstairs into our living room, taking up the space formerly reserved for the Christmas tree, we haven't done it. And, quite frankly, I have not missed it. I don't miss the decorating, the card writing (which took hours even though I only sent about ten or fifteen cards each year), or the running hither and yon to find that "perfect" whatever.
Aside from that, I live with two people who aren't sure about anything "religious" and for them to get all excited about Christmas was nothing but seasonal induced greed - what will I get / what can I have. And that's not what this season should be about. That's what it's become, but that's not what it should be about.
MIL refuses to acknowledge God or any higher power. So be it, that's her outlook. However, she is fretting because she cannot write or send Christmas cards this year. As if anyone is going to really miss that extra piece of paper in the mail. Yes, it's a nice sentiment, but this goes straight back to my 1:1 relationship. These are people with whom she doesn't communicate except at Christmas - and the sentiments in the cards sent and received are predominately "this is me in my world" instead of an on-going interested exchange of news and views.
Hubby doesn't seem to know what he thinks or believes. He talks about people "up there" influencing and affecting our lives, but refuses to acknowledge God or any other higher power. Whatever.
Then there's me. I am a believer in God. My relationship with Him is personal - 1:1. I talk to him. I know that He's there in all things and all moments so I try to always do the right thing for myself and for others. Do I believe that He is jotting down every little thing I do or ask for? No. There's an entire universe out there and I'm less than a dust mote in it. I send good thoughts, energy, to those who need it. Does it influence the outcome? Probably not, but if it makes me feel better or makes the people who ask for thoughts and prayers feel better, it's a small thing to do, so I do it.
With 2015 coming to a close, and 2016 looming large with all of its new offerings, it's an exciting time.
Next year I will be a Grandma for the first time.
Next year I will have new responsibilities at work (that came up yesterday and will start Monday, but won't really start rolling until after New Years).
Next year our new plant will open and, hopefully, start operating. That might lead to new things, too. We'll see.
In the meantime it's life continuing.
I went out and bought another pair of new shoes because the first pair is so comfortable. $19.99 per pair plus sales tax. Less than $45 for two pair of shoes that will probably last two years - and I got an argument and lecture when I got home.
I signed up for health insurance through my work. It's a funded plan in which a set dollar amount is deposited into a bank account in my name every pay period. The intent is that the money will accumulate and be there when and if I need it. I got an argument about that, too. But I'm standing firm - that is not going to be touched for anything but my medical expenses, as designated. (Hubby has a different idea but tough. He'll have to get over it.)
I forgot to return five cans of cat food this morning and got scolded for it. As if I can't take them and exchange them another time.
Life as usual in our household in other words. So, instead of the Christmas tree and cards and all the rest of it, I have two pair of shoes that I need. I have the beginnings of a health insurance nest egg I can use. I have five extra cans of cat food that will, at some point, go back to the store. It's all good and it's my little corner of this world on the Saturday before Christmas. Hubby's frustration and vitriol slid off my back like water off a duck because it's so common, so expected and normal, so that's all good too.
Have fun shopping! Watch out for those crowds and don't get carried away with the spending. Me? I'm going to kick back and relax.
Best~
Philippa
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