One week’s time and it will be Christmas Eve. This will mark the end of years of Christmas Eve tradition, we will not be going to the chapel to light candles as we have done every year since John Lee and Loren were born. Pandemic. ‘Nuff said.
I may try to get Loren to record an acapella take on one of the Christmas carols. If he does, I will post it. So much of what is the Christmas experience is not happening. Still, we are trying to make it seem like it should. We cut down a tree. It got decorated. Gifts have been bought. All hail Amazon. Some gifts have been mailed.
Dashed to the U.S. Post Office this morning at 8:25 AM. The windows open at 8:30. I was first in line and there was nobody else in the lobby. Mask on I went inside and got six packages off. Whereas in years past the clerk would give some estimate on when the Priority Mail© packages would arrive there was no hint of such a date today. Having heard how completely befouled the delivery system is based on the “improvements in efficiency” rolled out this fall, I didn’t bother to follow up and ask.
The one aspect of Christmas that is much more noticeable in my neighborhood is the presence of lights on houses that never had lights before, and an amped up presence of illumination on people who usually offered Christmas displays. Early on I heard rumors of a Christmas decoration shortage. On dingy Saturday I went checking on decorations on Amazon, Costco, Sam’s and Home Depot. Sure enough, unless you wanted fuggly overpriced Simpson’s nativity scenes the pickings were really very, very slim.
I get it. In a world where so little of what is occurring is under our control making sure that at least one aspect of our normal Christmas shines is really important. Going Clark Griswold big on the outside lights is a way of saying clearly and emphatically I am celebrating Christmas well and ups yours Covid-19. Hey, I went for festive banners that now hang outside the front door to show I am celebrating Christmas well.
Last night as my family and friends on the east coast of America were getting pounding by a miserable storm with feet of snow and nasty ice, we got a mild dusting of light white powder. Our snow did what a first snow is supposed to do, it covered the imperfections of a grey and brown world. Our snow was gentle and wispy and danced in circles as it came down. Our snow created a landscape that said Christmas is almost here so lift up your hearts.
One closing comment is this. Cards. With people at home, it seems they are digging out the cards, the stamps and the pens to craft Christmas messages. I am going to try and respond to each one I receive. Not so big on creating cards in the past few years but I will try.
And for this piece's musical coda I offer something that is off the beaten track. It is lovely though.
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