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This week: Observations at Christmastide Edited by: fyn  
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Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold, everything is softer and more beautiful. ~~Norman Vincent Peale
He who has not Christmas in his heart will never find it under a tree. ~~Roy L. Smith
Happy, happy Christmas, that can win us back to the delusions of our childhood days, recall to the old man the pleasures of his youth, and transport the traveler back to his own fireside and quiet home! ~~Charles Dickens
At Christmas, 'It's a Wonderful Life' makes me cry in exactly the same places every time, even though I know it's coming. ~~Nicholas Lea
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Observations this Christmas 21-25 December 2012
Contrary to many years in the past, this season, I found the vast majority of folks I encountered to be in excellent moods, of sincere temperament, tolerant and patient. Was it, as has been suggested to me, the continuing fallout of a populace still reeling from the effects of a week prior when a small town in Connecticut were devastated by a horror beyond comprehension or was it something else? I will never know, but it just seemed to me that people were enjoying themselves in the days before Christmas.
Friday found folks laughing at themselves for believing (even secretly) that the world would end. Then they, and I went about our day. The lines at the Post Office were long and I had a large armful of books to be mailed. People offered to hold them for me. The three people in front of me offered me 'cuts' because they actually looked as heavy as they were. I took their offer and smiled back at the weary Post Office lady who looked exhausted but proceeded to send off my books priority mail in hopes they just might make their destinations before Christmas. Some actually did. People were wishing each other Merry Christmas and inside the post Office, joy was nigh.
Saturday at Walmart.
I snagged the last three huge bows to be had in the store that I needed for three large presents. Didn't matter that they weren't quite the right colors, I would make it work. Ended up handing off two of them to someone who seemed to need/want them more than I did. My daughter, husband and sister-in-law never noticed or even knew about it and thought i was extremely creative in their big presents. Hope the folks who received the ones with the big bows enjoyed them.
Saturday at Walmart.
Overheard in the long, long, LONG line.
"Honey, the kids are exhausted," said the frazzled and tired looking mom. "I'll bring them out to the car and get them settled and bring the car up to the front of the store. Will you be okay in the line?"
"Great idea, hon. See you outside in a bit! Pop the trunk when you see me coming!"
Two teen-aged kids behind me.
"Are you sure Mom will like this sweater?"
"Yes, she will. I hope she likes these books. I know she likes this author."
Dad who was with them.
"Kids, she will be very happy. You earned the money yourselves and you are spending it on your Mom. We are both so proud of you."
Saturday, on the cell with hubby on my way home.
"Hon, I'm on my way home."
"How'd it go? Did you get the bows and other stuff we needed?"
"Had the bows, gave two to some lady who seemed very happy to end up with them, stood in ridiculously long lines with people in good moods, no one was cranky and um, are you sure the world didn't end yesterday? Seriously, it was fun and I was surrounded by relaxed, happy people."
"You okay? You don't even sound tired."
"Weird, huh? Actually, I'm psyched, found some crazy blue wrapping paper, got the yams and found everything I needed. Oh and I went to the craft section and found cloth ribbon that will work even better than the big ribbons. I'm good."
Sunday. Hubby takes off to go do his shopping for me. Two days before Christmas and he is off to find me a Furby--a purple one, no less, a Kindle Fire HD and whatever else he can come up with. We both know the chances of his having as successful trip are nil. But he's going to try. He comes home four hours later to a clean house, the dining room rearranged, tables switched to fit the 10 people coming to Christmas dinner, laundry done, dinner cooking and Christmas carols blasting. I try to judge from his expression the success of his journey. He gives me no clue and vanishes downstairs. I hear the sander going until dinner time. (He's been working every night for a month on a mystery project. He says he is making me a million toothpicks.)
Monday. I deliver another author her books in time for Christmas. Then I wander through an antique store...just wandering...because it was a cool store and the window beckoned me inside. I find a drummer boy music box that plays an intricate version of 'The Little Drummer Boy,' has a broken drumstick, but priced reasonably and I can use one of those million toothpicks to fix it. The are numerous folks wandering around smiling. Carols are playing and I am not the only one singing along.
Monday. I get back home and the pile under the tree has grown. None of the box sizes seem to correspond to what I'd been hoping for.Oh well. We knew it was a fool's errand. It starts snowing. Big, fat, fluffy flakes. It is BEAUTIFUL!! The kids arrive. Everyone is in a happy silly mood but tired and we crash early. Well, early for Christmas Eve. It isn't quite midnight.
Tuesday morning --o-dark thirty. Seriously. 4 AM, my 28 year old daughter wakes me up with a cup of coffee and says, "Get up, Mom!"
"Seriously? What time is it?" Argh.
THE. BEST. CHRISTMAS. EVER! Everyone got what they wanted. My hubby found me a purple Furby and the Kindle. And he gave me a black walnut jewelry box that he made and it is beautiful!!! (That ended up with the remaining large bow.) And a box made out of black walnut filled with....yes....toothpicks!! Everyone managed to blow someone's mind. Friends and family descended and we started again. Somehow the turkey was cooked and the food prepared and everything was ready at the same time! More friends and family showed up. Craziness. Happy, goofy, loving, appreciative zaniness. Quiet descends at 9 pm when they all leave to wend their assorted directions home. Happy, joyous, thankful day. Can't beat the Hallelujah Chorus at 4 am! Or everything that followed.
Loong day. Great day! I flop on the couch to relax. ACK! I still have a newsletter to write. So I am. I don't honestly know why people that I encountered were in such good moods this holiday, but I enjoyed it. I loved that there seemed to be higher levels of joy and lower ones of cranky. We had carolers come by. A couple of neighbor kids showed up bringing us candles. It was, perhaps, over all, one of the lowest levels of 'stuff' we've ever had and it didn't matter in the least! It was full of spirit, family, friends, joy and bliss! I have been and am, happier than I think I've ever been at 9:06 on Christmas night.
I hope you all had a wonderful day full of love and joy and amazing surprises. I am thinking perhaps, there were extra angels this year and maybe that was what made such a difference!
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I searched for Christmas Angels and found these. Used one of mine, too...just because.
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#789721 by Not Available. |
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#1823542 by Not Available. |
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A short poem for christmas time, reflecting on the meaning of the season for christians.
#1510778 by Nancy Kearns  |
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For Authors: December 25, 2012 Issue [#5431]
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