Christmastide: day three

Here's the thing: Christmas always comes, whether we are ready or not. It always comes. (And... it really doesn't matter: He came, is here with us, always.)

As far as the Christmas Spirit finding me, it did. It looks different this year, that's all.

Hardly any of the Christmas boxes were opened; the treasures are mostly still tucked away. There is no evergreen in the corner of the living room - where would it go? My red "chinese lantern" (I can never remember what that thing is called) is in the corner of the living room, and it's nearly 6 feet tall. There is an evergreen wreath on the door, though, so I'll still have some pine needles to vacuum. ;o) Instead, when I was at Trader Joe's the Tuesday before Christmas, I spotted a two foot tall potted white heather, kind of a conical shape. I put some battery-powered white LED lights on that, and it looks just like a flocked tree. It's sitting with the card basket, which is strung with silver bells that jingle when I walk past.

Presiding over the table with the tree and the basket: a golden angel, blowing a triumphant herald in a starry sky. In other years, I often set up Grandma Q's - umm... rustic - nativity set on that table. But again, it's still in a box. It's okay. The angel is an abbreviation: I know why she's there.

The cookie tins came out. I didn't bake a lot, but I made some little rum cakes, and about 4 different kinds of cookies - which were quite enough. Everyone really liked them. I still feel like I want to bake some more... maybe some M&M cookies for A. as a thank you for being a wonderful nephew to my brother DQ? New Year's ginger cookies? Somethin'.

Presents were wrapped: everyone got the same thing this year, photos! (Some were larger than others...) I got some nice feedback, and I'm trying to tell myself that that is not the reason I gave those gifts, but it is still nice to hear.

The Christmas music came out. First up: a few of the Windham Hill recordings. Not really inspiring enough, too subtle. Next: Kathy Mattea, Amy Grant, Michael Card, John McCutcheon. Good ones. I need to switch to something else tonight... maybe something playful... the Blenders, Take 6, Kenny and Dolly, John Denver and the Muppets? And the mixed tapes I made several years ago are in the car: 3 hours worth of (mostly) really good picks. Music helps.

One of the truly tell-tale signs of the Christmas Spirit: I started folding and cutting paper. White paper trees, green foil trees, and lots of snowflakes! There's nothing like unfolding a snowflake to kindle my happy place!

One of my humbug factors was that I got started late and felt like there was no time. I was scheduled to work all day on the 24th, which was not helping matters... Around 2 p.m. that day, I was unexpectedly set free given the rest of the afternoon off. I got to chat with a friend, stop by T's for a brief visit, fill up the tank, and still be home in time to watch Oprah and bake another batch of cookies. Feeling quite Christmassy - joyful - bouyant, I met R. at the church to help transform the sanctuary from Advent to Christmas. The deep purples and blues turned to white and gold, the baby, star and angels revealed! "We are so blessed to get to do this", I told R. And I really, really meant it. Mean it.

Back at church at 10:30 that night, Quartet rehearsed our "Star Carol" for that evening's service. The church was pleasantly full. People were dashing around, giving gifts to each other and lots of hugs and "merry Christmas"-ing. I was absolutely delighted when I saw A. come in the door, followed shortly by my parents and J. We all sat together. Last part of the service is, always, the very best: We pass the light from the Christ candle from one to the other, singing "Silent Night", until the entire church and every face is lit in glowing candlelight.

On any given year, it is a Christmas miracle if I can make it to the second verse without weeping. This was no exception. All I had to do was look around the room... This year, it was the kids who came home who put me over the top: my own, who have almost never been able to join me in church on the Eve because that is their dad's time. (Our service has been at 7 or so for years; this year it was moved to 11, which meant they could get there! Yay!) There was S., who hasn't been to church for a few years; she has always been dear to me, and was there with her folks and sister. Then P., who as a little girl sang "the Friendly Beasts" at the TOP of her lungs - from the pews, while the choir was performing it up front - was up from the southlands to be with her mom T. And my friends P&F, who have two daughters in college but only one was able to come home, were surprised by daughter #2 who arrived just hours before the service started.

It was just beautiful.

Christmas... it always comes.