Checking in a few days after the holiday to share that we had a lovely get-together at Sarah's on Christmas Day! One of my favorite family traditions is that we limit our gifts for each other to $25 and, even with a cap, everyone chooses such thoughtful presents. Something new in the last handful of years is that our three adult children take the time to write heartfelt and inspirational greetings in their cards to us and each other which, we all know, is the best gift of all. I wept (as I always do) at their words of joy, hope, love, and gratitude.
We are leisurely with opening presents, one at a time, so we can appreciate what everyone is receiving. About halfway through, Colin started having a meltdown, perfectly understandable as he'd had a looooong day, with a very short nap. In an attempt to help, Eric said, "I love you, Colin!", and C replied: "no love me!", and we all cracked up at his two-year-old reaction. Sarah immediately suggested we still-pause the gift exchange and go outside for a while so he could run around and release some energy, which was totally effective (she's such a good and intuitive mom... 💗 )
Adorable and typical (as any parent can tell you) is that Sarah gave Colin five Santa presents, and attached to each was a Dollar Tree plastic animal (he loves animals of all kinds): zebra, elephant, giraffe, hippo, and tiger... and of course that was all he wanted to play with the entire day (not the actual presents... :-)
Because we were inside, albeit masked, socially-distanced, and doors and windows open, we ordered Chinese food for dinner; dessert was a ginormous box of Russell Stover chocolates from the two girls' soccer teams that Chico coaches (along with a generous gift card).
Running jokes throughout the course of the day, sure to elicit a smile/guffaw for months to come: "I got a robe" (Rob shared the hilarious SNL skit with me last week!) and "Colin's fake hot dog has gone MIA".
Yesterday a friend and I were having a text discussion re: Post-Holiday Blahs/Blues/Winter Doldrums, and I followed up with this e-mail:
"I've got 'em too, but not nearly as bad as I thought I would. For one thing, the only holiday "trappings" I brought out were the front-door wreath and the doormat, and those can easily be tucked away again on the Monday after New Year's (or even the Wednesday as, when we lived in Puerto Rico, Christmas wasn't *really* over until January 6, The Epiphany).I have let so many things go this season, when the former me might have had a few more meltdowns along the way. Both Sarah's *and* Rob's presents to me were slowed down in the mail system (as was my friend Judi's!), and my new Delayed Gratification/F*ck It self just thinks, "well, I will enjoy them when they *do* arrive!". My mantra these days seems to be "Who am I and what have I done with Susan?!?" I am trying so hard to be Kinder, Gentler, Softer, More Patient, More Forgiving, More Understanding, More Aware... <3I am also working very hard on my communication skills, with family as well as friends. Attempting to "say what I mean, mean what I say, and do what I say I'm going to do"... which I learned in a parenting seminar when Sarah was in middle school (25 years ago). Hey, if the foo sh*ts, right?Had a great talk with L last week, and we discussed that, during this challenging time, we are both going to focus on meaning and purpose in the New Year. I greatly miss having a true sense of both.So, yeah... I have the blues/blahs/mullygrubs but I seem, so far, to have shaken off the need to wallow. I do possess: family (however flawed, as am I... except for Colin, who is perfect!), books (so many books!), music (beautiful songs!), friends (so very dear), healthy food choices, a dependable body that allows me to take it out for hour-long walks (almost) every day, boundless sunshine, hot cocoa and Kahlua (just a splash!), FakeUggs, comforting and colorful scarves, enough earrings to sink a battleship, intelligence, kindness, humor, integrity, gratitude, an appropriate balance of joy and sorrow. And just like that... counting my blessings has moved my blues, if not off the table completely, at least to a back burner (mixed metaphor, anyone?... :-)I am going to hit Send before this turns into War and Peace. Whoops, too late!"
And... Nothing Says Christmas like Parlour Vegan's Non-Binary Gingerbread Person... 💖
SONG: Merry Something to You by Devo
BOOK: December Holidays from around the World by Baby Professor
POEM: December 26 by Kenn Nesbitt
BOOK: December Holidays from around the World by Baby Professor
POEM: December 26 by Kenn Nesbitt
A BB gun.
A model plane.
A basketball.
A ’lectric train.
A bicycle.
A cowboy hat.
A comic book.
A baseball bat.
A deck of cards.
A science kit.
A racing car.
A catcher’s mitt.
So that’s my list
of everything
that Santa Claus
forgot to bring.
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