We traveled a bit last week and enjoyed seeing some Christmas lights. I’m becoming my mom, who always loved it when, after moving to town, someone took her around to see the lights. We don’t go out much at night anymore but when we do it’s fun to see the decorations.
Our tree isn’t up yet but I did get out the Christmas mugs for my morning coffee. We have a cupboard full of mugs and I’m the only resident coffee drinker, but three come out at holiday time. One was a gift from my daughter, another from a friend, but the one that I use most, and keep out till February, holds special memories.
Christmas of 1990 found me newly widowed. I had gone back to college that fall and was still ranching in partnership with my mom and a son. So as not to miss any classes, I chose the Christmas break to have some surgery I had been putting off. Two friends who visited me in the hospital brought a small flower arrangement in this mug that’s decorated with a theme of holly and cardinals. My visitors were ranchers who belonged to a group which I attended regularly. These guys were of my dad’s generation, and were typical of the respectful manner in which men of that era had learned to treat women. Both are long gone from us now but they live in my heart.
One year, when my life consisted of hauling kids to school, cooking meals and doing piles of laundry, with seldom a moment to call my own, my children’s father gave me ice skates for Christmas.
The ones I used when in high school were hand-me downs from an uncle, worn out, and with no ankle support. I hadn’t ever had my own; not that the recent years had offered time to skate anyhow. That Christmas Day, I put them on and headed for the pond on the meadow. Suddenly, I was sixteen again. The fallout of that gift was that we all ended up getting skates and spent many days and evenings with neighbors, around a bonfire at some ranch pond.
A jar of home-made salsa, pickles, or jam, subscriptions to the hometown newspaper, a hand crocheted scarf, dropping in for an hour of visiting, a weekly phone call, driving a shut in around to see Christmas lights… none of these things cost much, but their warmth lingers for a long time.
When you’re making a list and checking it twice, put some consideration into what kind of gift might contain memories that last beyond the season. If you have any extra in the budget use it to do a kindness and not get caught. Make Santa your role model, he’s good at that.
Meet me here next week and meanwhile, do your best. Somebody might like it.