As one who is now over fifty I was thinking back over the years to some of my favorite Christmas's. In ways I wished that I could return and redo some of the things I have done. I think that as we get older we can easily become nostalgic or depressed because we can't return to what might look like greener pastures. But there is an alternative. Think of the years ahead and see these as an opportunity to write another story. Life is after all a succession pf events. I want to be able to look back and see the years I have left as precious as the years past. I say this not as one who couldn't look at myself and feel sorry. I was sixteen the year I lost a depressed mother to an overdose of pills the day after Christmas.Following her death, there were years when I didn't get any gifts despite the fact that there was plenty to give with. I sat and watched others open theirs.
Without Mom there just wasn't anyone to buy the packages or bake the cookies or decorate the house.One of the tings that I most appreciated about her was that despite how she felt, she gave. She was also one to decorate her packages, to fix a glowing tree, to have the most fabulous Swedish dinner of lukefist, potatoes, white sauce, and pudding baked in a coffee can-She also made spritz cookies, divinity, date bars, and all sorts of goodies, though I wonder how she did it as sad as she was. Regardless, I take her enjoyment and double it into the holidays, hoping to make the world a better place and a happier place.
Here are some of the past enjoyments.One Christmas after we were first married we invited several couples over for a Christmas food in our small home in Lincoln. Another year I did pillows and designed an apron for gifts.But beyond this I have my favorites. They are always the homemade or home done projects. One was making grape jelly and ice cream sauce plus picking Nebraska popcorn and adding the Christmas morning breakfast meal,sending this to my siblings. An original Nebraska gift!. Another was doing a Christmas recording of stories and memories to send to relatives. One year-three Christmases back I spent days doing a scrapbook of my married son's life. I went back to his schools, the homes where we had lived, added school drawings from when he was five and six and wrote a fairy tale done in pictures about his engagement right up to the wedding. When my dad was in the nursing home I made him a special Christmas tree to keep bedside his chair and went Christmas day to eat the dinner with him.My favorite project was making coasters out of genuine vintage fabric from an old quilt that I bought at yard sale.
Other memories are cutting down tress and baking for neighbors. These are simple things but heartfelt. My sister takes exquisite pictures and sends them They are treasures and make fabulous gift.We all need to learn to step out of the box and make today a walk for leaving echos behind.It's a gift to others and the self.We have world filled with opportunities and ways to pamper ourselves and others. My most enjoyable Christmas upper is baking. I love to make candies and mixes that sit about the counter free to offer to others. This will be out first year with a little granddaughter, now one. Next year I want to give her a book of personally written stories. I like to think my mother must look down and smile knowing that I feel joy that was hard found for her. It means she gave me a precious gift,Christmas joy despite her depressions. We must move on and make today count. Sparkle; treat yourself extra well during a busy season. Enjoy.
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