That's the time I normally would have spent decking my halls to the nines - my Christmas decorations, when packed away, fill a walk-in closet, floor to ceiling. I dress up the whole front yard. The tree gets decked and then some. And every room in the house gets other decorations as well.
It didn't happen this year. We were lucky to get the tree up about a week ago. A few other treasured decorations made it out several days after that. As late as yesterday and today, the kids were bringing a few other things out to use. And the front yard didn't even get touched this year.
In addition, I usually do my Christmas shopping during the time I was in the hospital...using money also earned during that time. But when Momma, who is self-employed, doesn't work for three weeks...neither does she receive that income.
Please know, I am not saying any of this as a ploy for sympathy. Rather, I'm looking at this year as a blessing. As I've told my kids recently, with having gone through this illness and facing a few other upheavals soon, we ARE fine, and we are GOING TO BE fine.
Having not had or taken the time to do all of our decorations this year, we've instead had a chance to reflect more on the coming birth of Christ and what that means to our lives. We've gotten back to praying before each meal and at bed times regularly; something we'd fallen out of the practice of doing not so long ago. We've had lots of great Biblical discussions; it's amazing how much my kids have sponged up.
And I've tried - and hopefully somewhat succeeded - in setting more realistic expectations for the kids of what they'll receive this year from both Mom and Santa. My son, in particular, worries me. He has his heart set on an expensive gift that just was far out of reach. I've talked to him, now, numerous times about both Mom and Santa being on very tight budgets this year. And still he shows his faith that this present will somehow arrive. Who knows? Who am I to say it's absolutely impossible that it will? But what I'm hoping is that with less presents both from Mom and Santa this year, the kids will take more time to appreciate each of the presents.
Beyond that, we still have Orthodox Christmas on January 7th...and the kids know I always reserve some gifts for each of them to open then.
Either way, I'm sort of treasuring having a bit of a minimalist Christmas after so many years of making it the absolute production of the year. I've had more time to appreciate my family, my dear friends, and the many blessings in my life - first of whom are my children - than I've possibly had in recent years. And there's nothing wrong with that!
Now, this Momma has to go...I have to hang up some more laundry, then whip up some "Aunt Grace cocoa" and drive the kids around the neighborhood at bedtime to admire everyone else's lights. No matter what, we're enjoying this season and feeling the many gifts God has provided in our lives.
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