Well, it seems I have developed a tradition of a New Year's Eve/Day post just prior to which, I re-read my New Year post from the previous years. Seems like only a week ago that I wrote last year's post. The years do seem to fly faster.
I haven't posted here much lately -in fact, I forget how to navigate the site! I do miss writing. I wish I had time and ideas to do more of it. I've had several posts rolling around in my head in recent weeks and it's probably a Divine Intervention thing that they didn't make it online. Sort of that angels sitting on my tongue ...or fingers....kind of thing.
I don't do resolutions per se. So, since I haven't completely mapped out my Dreams/Hopes/Goals list for the year, I am choosing to reflect on this current holiday season and my 2 Top 10 Great Things/ Yucky Things About The Holidays Lists.
I have wrestled with which list to write first - because I can't decide whether I am truly a glass half-full or half-empty person. Most likely I am the one to drink the water and thank the two folks arguing for the beverage! :) And, although David Letterman counts his 10 backwards, I am starting at the top!
Anyway, here goes:
Top Ten Things About the Holidays This Year
1. Joe...... He is Mr. Fezziwig personified. If you don't get the reference, then next year, tune into one of the thousands of versions of A Christmas Carol
2. I got to see both of my kids for some part of the Christmas Eve/Christmas Day timespan. Though it would be great to have all of us under one roof of a great big house that is easily accessible to all with enough room for a Christmas tree in each room, I am unspeakably grateful for the time I had with them this year. And our Christmas morning breakfast menu of cinnamon rolls, hash browns, scrambled eggs, sausage, coconut cream pie and Tortino's pizza rolls may never be duplicated but it was perfect.
3. Scrooge, the Musical. Last year, as I sat in the audience, absolutely mesmerized by every aspect of this show, I whispered "I HAVE to be in this show!!" This year I had my chance and I loved every minute of playing Mrs. Fezziwig and Mrs. Pringle, despite my wig almost bouncing off my head in one performance. I was welcomed warmly by the cast and felt great pride in being part of such a quality production. I cannot adequately express my thanks for the opportunity.
4. Giving. This Christmas was the first in many years that I had any financial wherewithal to lend a hand to those less fortunate. It is a huge blessing to bless others and I found myself giddy when I would pop some cash into the red kettles, wrapped shoeboxes that ended up in Rwanda, and delivered some gift cards to local homeless in a motel. I thank God every day that He allowed me this privilege. Every time I heard bells ringing outside a store, though, I kind of wished there was some sort of "I already gave" button (kind of like the sticker you get from the Red Cross when you give blood) so that the people jingling those bells didn't think I was being selfish or rude when I had to forego another donation.
5. Snow! Although it wasn't here for Christmas, the snowstorm that hit on the 13th boosted my already soaring Christmas spirit. I even did Mary Tyler Moore turns in the middle of Allen Street in between Scrooge performances. Honest - there were even witnesses. On the subject of snow, I am grateful for the neighbor who cleared a path through our yard to get to the cars parked there instead of the driveway while the ice prevailed.
6. Online shopping. I've never done a whole lot of this before but wow - was it helpful! It was such a relief to have even 3 or 4 gifts under roof by the time December started. That has NEVER happened before. I'll be doing a lot more of it, I think. People get all nervous about doing that but hey - shopping at Target this year wasn't any safer, was it? ;)
7. Christmas movies and performances. I think I watched 5 different versions of Scrooge, got to see a live production of A Charlie Brown Christmas, and watched White Christmas, The Santa Clause 2 and 3, most of It's a Wonderful Life and Rudolph. Still missing in the repertoire were Elf, Santa Claus is Coming to Town and Family Man, the latter in my opinion, should become a regular among the Christmas movies shown each year. And who's to say I can't watch those in March?!?
8. WOWI 97.1 is still playing Christmas music! I am pumped about this! I hate when all other stations stop dead on Christmas evening and return to regular programming. The only problem is that I have had to listen to some of those songs I simply detest....and have heard blues versions of several songs I never considered to be blues songs. And then there's this song I have heard twice with barely intelligible lyrics....in fact I've at times thought they were in a different language - something about a drunk tank and calling each other trash. Nothing says Christmas like those sorts of phrases! LOL Still in all, I'm glad to be able to tune into some holiday music this far past December 25th.
9. Sleeping in. With 2 of my 3 jobs on hiatus, I've had an opportunity to catch a few extra zzz's on a couple of chilly mornings. Very nice indeed. Now if only I could get that to-do list reduced....
10. People are undoubtedly nicer at this time of year. There are fewer middle fingers thrown (athough there are still some!), people say "excuse me" and "I'm sorry" a bit more.
11. (Hey I'm allowed - it's the positive list, after all!) The Simply Divine Hot Chocolate at Callao Café and Market. I still think they should adopt this title for it along with the tagline "it's a spiritual experience" that a friend and I recently came up with. But even if they stick with the name "amazing hot chocolate" it can't remove the fact that it just made the holidays jollier.
12. Empty Dunkin' Donuts. Seriously - no line out the door! No line at all in fact, and PLENTY of donuts!! Woo hoo!
Now for the flip side. I promise to try not to be too whiney and self-pitying.
Top Ten Things About These Holidays That Were Sad/Annoying/Frustrating:
1. Hands down, the #1 downer this year is that I am missing the gathering with all of my sisters and their families in between the holidays. Affectionately coined The Best Family Fiasco, we have, for more than 20 years, gathered in Pittsburgh....until last year. We didn't do it last year because we had all traveled in for my mom's funeral. And this year....well, I don't know why we didn't plan it. Perhaps because my mother is not here with us to make sure we all get in to see her. But I am missing our craziness, our loudness, our chaos.
2. Christmas Eve service. Christmas Eve is my favorite day of the year and I have big expectations for Christmas Eve service. Not only did it not measure up in programming, but we arrived late and we were "those" people who ended up sitting in the doorway that I have always in the past felt sorry for. Nobody in the back of the church sang the hymns and they had even run out of candles so I wasn't able to adaptively enjoy my pyromaniacal tendencies.
3. I never managed to get an Advent wreath and devotional going to maintain proper focus through the season. Didn't get an ordinary wreath made either for that matter - despite my juggling numerous evergreen branches the whole way out of the tree farm. You'd think I was a fir hoarder! And they're all still sitting in my garage. Maybe we could start a tradition of Easter wreaths made from Christmas tree branches. Theologically it kind of fits, after all.
3. Limited shopping time. With all its benefits, participating in Scrooge limited my available shopping time. Next year, if offered the role, I'll plan better.
4. Brace yourself - this one is really significant in the scheme of life! My Christmas manicure keeps chipping and breaking! Oh nooo!! I splurged and got a really cool glittery gel manicure before Christmas and I'm having difficulty keeping it on. Problem with gels is, when they chip, the whole thing comes off.
5. Didn't get cards sent. Again. I just might start them now for next year!
6. Time and space have prevented me from having my Department 56 village up this year. I love my village - I started it as a reward to myself for finishing graduate school 15 years ago and every piece is significant as they have all been gifts. (Or unheard of 75% off deals after Christmas. Meaningful nonetheless!) My most recent piece was a joint gift from my sister and my mom - the last gift my mom ever gave me. So I was hoping to get to put it out this year.
7. Simply not enough baking done. You can't have too many cookies. But you can have too few....and that was the case this year. Not that my waistline has had any problem expanding anyway!
8. The Little Drummer Boy et al. I did a previous post (rant) one year about Christmas music and what should and should not be allowed. I'll spare the details.
Ok I'm stopping. No sense looking for unpleasantries. I have much to be thankful for - and even most of my negative list is fixable or not worth worrying about. I am well aware that there are many struggling financially, relationally, with health issues for whom the holidays just bring magnification of their pain. Maybe it's that realization that has taken a little bit of the magical quality out of how I used to experience these days but fortunately there is still enough to keep them magical enough.
Here's hoping we all have a new year filled with love, laughter, family, friends, and loads of chocolate!
