1.8.23
The year has turned, and here we are, already one full week into the New Year. It seems as if it came upon us so suddenly! One minute it was October, and I was thinking I had better get cracking making our Traditional English Christmas cakes and getting stocked up on my soaps and lotions. The next thing I knew it was time for the first Christmas bazaar of the season! From then on out it was a whirlwind of activity as orders started flowing in and packages were put together for mailing out. Then, as quickly as the seasonal rush began, it was over. The last batch of peanut brittle was made, the last packages were carried to the post office for sending on their way, mere days before Christmas. As time started slowing down to a more normal pace, we were ready to get our tree.
Our tree this year was a beautiful little thing. Nothing fancy, merely a small tree we harvested after seeing it was being stunted and crowded out by its larger cousins. Yet standing in the corner of our living room it attained a splendour it did not have out in the wild. Sometimes it is bittersweet to harvest a tree, albeit for the betterment of the ones competing to survive around it. Yet how these little trees blossom when away from the others. Soon it was crowned with the little felt angel I made back when Darrell and I were first married, a smiling cherub which I always gave the first small Christmas tree light to hold. She beamed down as bit by bit her tree was decorated with ornament collected over the years. Darrell unwrapped each one with care, and handing them to me, I found just the right place for these treasures on our tree.
There the little tree stood, adorned with a collection of special ornaments, lit by a modest amount of tiny white lights. It was beautiful. Underneath, settled on the snowy white towel I use each year around the base of the tree, coloured packages were placed, ready for opening on Christmas Eve. As I came and sat in my easy chair by Darrell, the dogs lay contentedly in front of a blazing fire, a true sense of peace stole over me.
Having a little business that blossoms during the holiday season, it is sometimes easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of promoting my wares. Updating our website with the latest gift boxes and bags, listing my “Early Bird” specials people so look forward to, getting up in the wee hours of the morning with Darrell to make batches of peanut brittle when the temperature is well below freezing. It is easy to get caught up in the “merchandizing” side of the holidays and one has to remind oneself not to lose sight of the “family” side of the season.
That is how I felt that night after decorating our little tree. It was not done because we had to get a tree up, it was done because we wanted to see a little tree in its customary corner. To sit side by side and put the rush of the past few weeks behind us. To sit and think about what the season means to us. We usually put our tree up only a few days before Christmas Day and this year was no exception. Christmas Eve saw us opening the small amount of presents under the tree, sent to us from family and friends, near and far. Christmas Eve for us is a time of reflection, a good time.
Christmas for both Darrell and I before we met each other, had not always been the cheeriest of times. In our past lives, both of us had delt with Christmases that were more about trying to please other people, dreading the family get togethers that were nothing at all like a family Christmas should be – the arguments, strife, walking around on eggshells, the relief when the day was over. That is not how Christmas should be. Christmas should be time for rejoicing, for giving with a free heart, for celebrating and treasuring family during this Holy season.
Maybe that is why Christmas has been so special for Darrell and me since we have been married. We enjoy the quiet time of the season together. Yes, there have been times when we have had family come to visit and we have enjoyed those times immensely. Right from the start we emphasized to all of Darrell’s grown children that they should not feel they had to come visit us during the holidays, rather they should come if they wantedto come. We felt it was important, especially when they had children of their own, for them to stay at home and enjoy their family time together. They should never feel they have to make the rounds to be with this parent or that parent on Christmas Day. We cherish the time together with them but remember the strain it can be to try to please many other family members when these days so many families are scattered.
On Christmas Day, after the morning chores of feeding and milking have been accomplished, even if there is just the two of us, a nice big home-raised turkey goes in the oven. The table is laid for dinner later that day when the simple fixings of mashed potatoes, Brussel sprouts and carrots – all freshly harvested from the garden – will accompany stuffing, gravy and slabs of turkey on our plates. When we sit down to eat, we reach towards each other and clasp hands, wishing for a very Happy Christmas. It is a quiet day, a day of reflection, a peaceful day in which we relish each other’s company and feel blessed in our lives.
Everyone celebrates this Holy season in their own way. For us, being together in our snug little house and enjoying this special time together is our way of celebrating the season. Having family call to wish us a Happy Christmas as we sit by the fire, our bellies full of Christmas dinner, truly makes one feel thankful for everything we have been blessed with.
As the New Year begins and the days lengthen, life relentlessly moves on. A new cycle of life begins on the farm. The lights no longer sparkle on the little Christmas tree, the ornaments are removed and carefully wrapped up, boxed and put away high on the pantry shelf. The tree has shed a good few needles and is removed outside where it will sit on the deck for a week or so before being disposed of. The corner where it stood seems bare, waiting patiently for whatever little tree will fill it next year.
