“Christmas is most truly Christmas when we celebrate it by giving the light of love to those who need it most.”
Nothing about this morning is inviting. It is downright cold, only 37˚. I shuddered a bit when I went to get the paper. The sky is cloudy, a lightish grey cloud. Everything is still even the leaves at the ends of the branches. The dogs’ fur is cold when they come inside the house. I’m going out later. It’s a bundle up day.
My bedroom is filled with bags and boxes. In them are Christmas presents for my family and friends. Number one on my to do list is to divide the presents into families, keep a list of what for whom and then wrap the presents. I bought wrapping paper and tape the other day.
The controversy has always been wrapped or unwrapped under the Christmas tree from Santa. My family came down on the unwrapped side. It was because Santa had no time to wrap presents for all the kids. That made perfect sense to me. In all the cartoons, unwrapped toys were in Santas’ bag. Under the tree before Christmas were a couple of wrapped presents for each of us from our parents.
When I was a kid, Christmas programs appeared around the middle of December. My favorite was Suzy Snowflake dressed in a snow-white gown. She flew and had a wand she used to tap the window panes. Suzie always reminded me of the three good fairies in Snow White. She brought joy.
The story of my first Christmas in Ghana has one miracle. Every year I write about it. At Christmas time, it was the time of the harmattan. The days were blistering hot and sand blew in from the desert. Lips and heels split from the dryness. The sky was blurred from the dust in the air. The nights, though, were special. They were cold, down to the 70’s from over 100˚. I had a wool blanket on my bed. As it got closer to Christmas, I missed my family. I missed all the traditions. My house was decorated a bit, and that gave me some gladness, but I was still a bit down. One night I was lying in bed. The air was cold. I was snuggled under my blanket. All of sudden I heard a boy singing. He must have been in one of the compounds close to the school’s back gate, the one beside my house. He was singing We Three Kings. It was loud in the cold air. He sang every verse. I knew it was a gift. It was a Christmas present.
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December 4, 2021 at 2:20 pm
Not as cold as it has been here today but still well below 32F. The cold in itself wasn’t that bad, it is the wind that destroys the day. We walked in the forest and at the bog, the only places where the wind couldn’t reach.
We have always been a wrapped christmas present family. I did always wonder why some animated Disney films showed un wrapped ones 🙂 Your explanation is of course a perfect answer 🙂
Have a great day!
Christer.
December 4, 2021 at 11:12 pm
Hi Christer,
That Santa had no time made perfect sense to me, and the elves were too busy making toys to wrap. It’s funny, but the Disney cartoons were the ones I remember with unwrapped toys hanging out of Santa’s bag.
Tonight is bitterly cold. I put something in the trunk and couldn’t believe how cold it had gotten.
Enjoy the rest of your weekend
December 4, 2021 at 7:14 pm
Hi Kat,
Today started out cloudy and by noon the sun came out and we topped 75°. It doesn’t feel like winter because most of the leaves are now turning color and beginning to fall from the trees. Our first freeze generally occurs on November 22nd, but this year the temperature hasn’t dipped down to freezing point yet at DFW airport which is the official reporting site. I watch the temperature there because I live only three miles away.
I volunteered to work today to make up for a screw up by our HR department. New hire instructors start our class on the Monday after HR gives the new employees indoctrination. Last Friday was a holiday and they told one new hire to show up on Tuesday rather than Monday. I didn’t get it. I didn’t mind working on a Saturday at all. Now I only have to come up with a plan for tomorrow. 🙂
I think presents for any occasion should be unwrapped. Why waste money and time buying wrapping paper and ribbons? Bah, humbug what’s wrong with recycling a plastic grocery bag and save the environment. 🙂
December 4, 2021 at 11:26 pm
Hi Bob,
Tonight is so very cold, almost bitter. The day never really got much warmer than 40˚. The good thing was there was no breeze at all. Whiplash weather is predicted for the start of the week: a day close to 70˚ then down to the 30’s and maybe snow north of me.
I guess HR figured missing Friday meant adding another day, Tuesday. Did the other new hires report on Monday? We had a Saturday school for kids who cut classes or skipped school. If I couldn’t find a teacher to cover, I would go. It wasn’t all that long, but I had to keep watch the whole time. Teachers got paid. I didn’t.
I do enjoy the fun of unwrapping the presents. I wrap everything. I actually enjoy it.
December 5, 2021 at 11:17 am
He was the only new hire employee. When you live in a disfunctional family, working more helps keep the peace.
December 5, 2021 at 5:54 pm
I get it, the reason for working. During my entire professional life, I lived alone and worked too many hours anyway.
The hire coming on Tuesday gave you no choice except just to wait.