This weekend, the conversion to the Christmas state of being was completed.
My part is this extravaganza has greatly diminished over the years, partially because of the fact that as Na Clann have grown they enjoy doing it and partially because of the fact that I do not enjoy decorating much. It has reduced even less with the arrival of A the Cat, ensuring that we will (for the second year) use an artificial tree (which is more "cat friendly" and less likely to collapse) so my previous activity of stringing up the tree lights - inevitably twice, I as never manage to get "satisfactory coverage" the first time - is also not done.
Thus, my role is that of hanging the lights from the roof, and benignly watching over the everything else being place.
It is okay, of course - I fully acknowledge I do not have the eye of a decorator (my decorations tend to "clump" in one location instead of being spread out) and I get to thus enjoy the benefits of a holiday season with a minimum of actual decorating requirements. Kind of a best of all possible worlds.
It is good, I suppose that the decorations are going to be many and plentiful this year. This season seems different to me.
Part of it, of course, is the year that has been. The likelihood of a Christmas at Old Home - at least with my family of course - is essentially zero going forward at this point. The Oldest, Nighean Gheal, is likely to start her new job by next year. The Middle, Nighean Bhean, is likely going to finish her degree by next Christmas (yay one semester early) and start working towards her next degree, and the Youngest, Nighean Dhonn, will have one more Christmas after this before she is only a returning face from college on vacations as well.
So in a sense - a real sense - this sort of Christmas is drawing to a close as well. It is good, I suppose, to be aware of such things - painful of course in some ways, but good as well, at least to be aware of them.
After all, these seem to be gone in the blink of an eye.
Funny you mention 'drawing to a close' as for us this years ending does seem to closing the door quite firmly upon a certain state of living we have found ourselves within for the last several years. Nothing that we can put our fingers upon but nonetheless it does feel like a tangible change is coming with the years ending.
ReplyDeleteI am usually a right old humbug regarding Christmas, but with G's daughter and son in law joining us over the holiday I am looking forward to it more than at any time I care to remember...perhaps I am getting old!
John, the end of the year is always prone to that feeling of course, but I suspect there are also times that it is more prevalent that others during our lives because of circumstances. Animals often have the sense they will die and hide themselves; is it any wonder that we should have the same sense about phases in our own life?
DeleteThat is great you are having folks over - I do think it can help to manage our holiday spirits.
I feel similar when it comes to decorating for Christmas. I would be happy with a lot less but then, I don't do a lot of it either other than carting it up from the basement and tucking it back down there afterwards. Our Christmas celebrations are still in a flux and some of the old traditions have probably been lost for now. I sometimes think that if I am granted life long enough to see grandkids who might enjoy them again, I might try to reestablish some of the better ones.
ReplyDeleteIndeed Ed - for the price of a little labor, I cannot complain.
DeleteI think this is the year we can safely start looking towards establishing some of our own traditions in a more meaningful and permanent way.
Yes, Thanksgiving and Christmas time seem to have a sped up time zone. I guess so much to do, its over before you can sit down and think about it.
ReplyDeleteIt certainly feels like that to me as well. I have no insight into whether it was always this way, or things have just picked up speed as I have grown older.
DeleteIt must be a fact of life.
ReplyDeleteEven for straight arrow, high status cloud people like our esteemed blog host - Christmas seems to change, and not for the better. I am old enough to remember when people moved heaven and earth to be home for Christmas and literally flew half way round the world to do it. Then it went the other way - my elders flew half way round the world to spend the holidays in Hawaii or some posh spot in Europe, and the whole Christmas thing started to slide after that.
Be thankful, TB. Learn to Skype or whatever it's called - the kids can probly set you up. Merry Christmas to you and The Clan - wherever you all happen to be.
:)
Glen, the inevitability of change is indeed upon us. I remember such days as well. Sadly they seem largely behind myself as well.
DeleteThanks for the Christmas wishes Glen. I can do whatever the facial conversational software is, as I have had to do it for the last 1.5 years. Sure seems less satisfactory, though.
A Merry Christmas to all, and to you all as well, TB.
ReplyDeleteBe safe and God bless.
Thank you Linda! To you as well!
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