For those who note dates on blog posts, yes, this is being published on the 21st. I started writing on the 20th and fell asleep.
Put up the brightest string of lights I’ve ever seen.
Slice up the fruitcake;
It’s time we hung some tinsel on that evergreen bough.
For I’ve grown a little leaner,
Grown a little colder,
Grown a little sadder,
Grown a little older,
And I need a little angel
Sitting on my shoulder,
Need a little Christmas now.
As I think I said earlier, I’m living in a temporary place this year. My friend is preparing a house for sale, and I’m staying here while she works on it for the next few months. It has been a true blessing to have a comfortable place to stay while I contemplate my next move, but this isn’t a permanent (or semi-permanent) home.
When I moved in around Thanksgiving, I put my box of Christmas decorations in the back of the pile, because I couldn’t see myself decorating this year on this transient Christmas. I’m not home all that much, and I can’t see myself entertaining here, so any decorations I put up would only be for me. I felt that this was going to be a hard candy Christmas, and, God-willing, next year I’ll be in different place where decorations make a little more sense.
But one morning I took out my Christmas banner and put it on an unused hook on the wall. I thought, I might as well, the hook was just hanging there. After that I noticed several more hooks, and I took my earlier Christmas banners, dating back forty years, that I had found when cleaning out my parents’ house and hung them as well.
A wreath was next. I was shopping at Trader Joe’s, and thought it might be nice to hang a wreath on the door. I have a wreath hanger, for goodness sake. When taking out my wreath hanger, I found my Christmas clock that plays carols every hour. The clock in the kitchen hasn’t been working here, so it just made sense to put up mine. One more wreath in the box? Well, there is a nail right there, so why not? And why not put a lovely Christmas table cloth on the table?
By this point, the illusions of restraint were breaking down, so I took out the lighted garland and hung it up in the living room. I finished (for now) by hanging my stocking by the fireplace (where it will be a true miracle if it gets filled!).
I’ve resisted the temptation to put up a tree, but these little bits of Christmas have brightened my spirit tremendously. The lights particularly have turned the room (and my soul) into a warmer and brighter place.