Christmas will be quieter and smaller at our house this year. No masks required, because it will be just us. A woof in the background reminded me to tell you that Hammett will be here as well.
Bridget went back to Texas after three months, when the hotel chain she likes instituted safe-zone protocols. She packed plenty of masks, disposable gloves, antibacterial spray, and cleaning cloths just in case conditions were not as promised. They were, but she felt safer having been prepared. She packed food for the two days on the road, in case restaurants weren’t open. Her usual cross country rest stops had restrictions on the number of people allowed in at a time – food selections were limited, but gas was plentiful and cheap. She arrived home safe, but tired. We’ll miss that big smile and warm heart and the roar of the Mustang.
What we, and many others will miss are the large friends and family gatherings, the crowded church services with all the singing and hugs, and food aplenty to be had at everyone’s house.
Sheila and I live by this idea: “We may not be able to control what goes on in the world, but we can control our reaction to it.” We looked back through earlier holiday posts and noticed that some of our ideas of living out the reason for the season would not be possible this year because of the Pandemic, but others still work.
- Try cooking/quilting/book clubs with friends, via GoToMeeting. Sheila misses her cooking group and had a ball when they each stood in their own kitchens and worked on cookie recipes together.
- Be less critical of each other. Your way might not be the only way to get the job done.
- Smile. Often. Maybe in reaction to a beautiful sunset. You’ll feel better.
- Give the gift of forgiveness. Soften your heart and forget the small stuff before it becomes the big stuff.
- Write a letter sharing your week and snailmail it to the older people in your life. Not everyone has email.
- Call people that you might normally be meeting at your favorite bistro for lunch. They miss you, too.
- Give the gift of time. Memories are made when people laugh and giggle together, whether online or on the phone, or if you’re lucky, face-to-face.
Above all, have the best holiday season you can arrange, and a much better 2021, when life just might resemble something approaching normal again.
In Hope and Peace,
Patti & the Kerrians
I loved this post the first time I read it, and I love it still. We are now in 2022 battening down the hatches for a huge storm that has changed all our Christmas plans, but we have smiles on our faces and are planning to snuggle in with good books and food we are cooking ahead before the electricity goes off!! Life is what you make it–a cliche that is well used for good reason! Merry Christmas to Kerrian et. al.
Bravo to you! Life shows its best parts when we cherish what we have and then even make it better! Enjoy the reason for the season. 🙂
Lovely thoughts, Patti, for Christmas and every season. Thank you, Nancy West
Many thanks, Nancy. 🙂 Life does have difficult moments, but our reactions can make all the difference. 🙂