Christmas Comes But Once a Year

When I was kid, we used to sing, “Christmas comes but once a year.  So, you’d better make hay while the snow is falling.”  As kids, we figured that the sing/song meant that merchants had to make their money during the busy Christmas season.  And, I suppose we were right!  But, now I wonder.

Snow has been falling, lately.  Maybe, “making hay while the snow falls” means making those people connections that may be gone because of  times like this.  Maybe, it means getting things done because we have time to do them.  Things that we have been avoiding until “the snow is falling.

It seems that Christmas Day came quicker this year than in other years.  The pandemic has changed the way we prepare for and celebrate the Christmas season.    Families with two, three, four persons who have been living in the same house can celebrate differently than those households of one.  My family will celebrate with ZOOM dinner in our own homes, as we did for Thanksgiving.  It’s hardly worth making the turkey and all of the trimmings for a single person.  Of course, all of that can be ordered and either picked up or delivered to feed the one at home.

Knowing that I’ll be sending gifts to Wisconsin, I’ve slowly been putting things into a box, wrapped and unwrapped, to send.  I suddenly realized I have one week (ONE WEEK!) to get these gifts halfway across the nation.  And, neither the post office nor UPS is guaranteeing delivery in time for opening on Christmas day.  It’s a good thing that these gifts are for adults and fifteen- and eighteen-year-old grands.  They are old enough to understand the speed, or lack, thereof, of their grandmama.

Decorations are sparse in and about my house.  I have the nativity part of a triptych that daughter JRW made several years ago.  And, an exquisite cardboard crèche.  A couple of little banners in the gazing ball garden.  But, no tree.  No red ribbons.  Nothing elaborate.  Years ago, I gave away the large-large, lighted outdoor balls that Larry hung in the aging aspen tree.  I knew I would not be able to get them up into the tree.  The same with the dripping lights – and, I do love dripping lights in a tree.  And, the icicle lights along the edge of the roof.  Things change.

Did you have time to give much thought to what you, personally, want for Christmas?  For years now, I haven’t done much thinking about that.  I’ve been blessed to have what I need.  My hope is that others also have what they need, knowing full well that during this time that can’t possibly happen.  My prayer for you and yours this season is for blessings to have what you want and need.

Merry Christmas      Frohe Weihnachten

Feliz Navidad        Buon Natale               Joyeux Noël

Vrolijk kerstfeest        Feliz Natal                  Hyvää joulua

Be safe and well.

The Cranky Crone

If you have thoughtful feedback or questions, please let me know with a comment below.