If you are a regular reader, yule already know this about me: I love Christmas!
I live in a place that has mostly two seasons: cold and rainy (for approximately 350 days a year) and kinda warm-ish but always-best-to-wear-layers weather (which lasts about 15 days).
Snow is something I see somewhat rarely on my home ground — though when I do, it’s lovely (provided I don’t have to drive in it) — but that can be found easily enough by driving to/through the mountains. Where I grew up, however, snow abounded in the winter months. So the yuletide season still means “snow” to me.
It also means lights. December is the darkest month, and having Christmas lights on display during December always brightens my spirits during the (literal) darkest days.
Christmas means presents (which I love!) and tasty foods (especially baked goods) and fires in the hearth and hot cocoa. It means — for me — generosity of spirit and goodwill toward men, and I try to demonstrate those things even if only in small ways throughout the season.
I have great memories of Christmas. Memories of my mother and great-grandmother baking together in the kitchen when I was too young to be of much help (but “help” I did!) and many winters of sitting with my younger siblings, icing the fresh-baked cookies (which mostly consisted of us kids licking the icing off our spreaders; it’s kind of a miracle any of those cookies got frosted considering all the confectioners sugar that went into our mouths!)… those kinds of remembrances bring a smile to my face.
I also have hard memories of Christmas. Memories of the year we had a Charlie Brown Christmas Tree — literally the last one on the lot, purchased at closing time on Christmas Eve — more bare than branched, with only one small gift underneath for each kid, because that’s what my mom could afford. Memories of family strife and emotional struggle that flared and deepened1 during the Christmas season… These things don’t make me dislike Christmas; they do, however, serve to remind me that just because something is presented on the whole as beautiful and bright does not mean the facade matches the reality. Which is an important lesson to learn in life, I think.
Most recently — during the 2021 holiday season — my husband and I traveled to warmer weather for a week in December. Seeing what Christmas (and Christmas decor) looks like in the desert was an interesting contrast to our ‘norm’. And experiencing a seven-day dosing of vitamin D in 70 degree temperatures was a mood boost we intend to repeat.
I’m not sure exactly what the next yuletide season will bring, but whatever it is: I’ll be enjoying it. I hope yule be soaking up some seasonal joy as well!
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What do you love about Christmas?
Or if you don’t ‘do’ Christmas (or like it), what is your favorite holiday?
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For the 2022 A-to-Z Challenge, I am asking (and answering) 26 questions. Today I’ve shared some thoughts and feelings around the topic of Christmas. I invite you to do the same in the comments below.
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1I’m not going to get into particulars here, but let’s just say… If you look up the word ‘grudge’ in the dictionary, you’d likely find a picture of my maternal grandmother beside it. And then there is the fact that blended families do not always blend well.
If anyone would like to cure themselves of their affinity for Christmas, may I suggest taking a job in retail? I worked for a major retailer for over 30 years. Working extra days and hours while seeing what that holiday brings out in people is akin to discovering the naivete in believing the gooey crap about kids being sweet and innocent by actually being around them. The disconnect between the saccharin view of what Christmas is supposed to be and how people actually behave in real life is vast. Now that I’m retired my view has softened………but only because I shop online and have created kind of a “Christmas Bubble” that renders the season more pleasant than I ever recall it being before. In other words, if I eliminate people and commercialism from the mix, Christmas can be kind of pleasant. It’s still not my favorite though.
Instead, give me Halloween. Now THERE’S a holiday that should last all year!
(BTW, I think I already came up with my lawn decoration for this year: I’m going to pose one of my skeletons and add some things to make him look like a creepy take on the “Sacred Heart” version of Christ, only I will have a sign clearly stating that his name is Hal, not Jesus. A larger sign will then boldly proclaim: “Keep Hal in Halloween”. With any luck it should amuse those it’s meant to amuse and offend those whom I am fine with offending. 😉 )
Ha! Keep Hal in Halloween!
I worked as a retail manager when I was younger. I didn’t have bad-behavior shoppers during the holidays but I had frazzled ones and a too-frenzied schedule. I tend to “Christmas shop” from January til October, buying gifts as I see them/find them/ can afford them. So I avoid the Christmas Crazies. Because “no thanks” to “holiday shopping.”
I’m not sure what we’ll do for Halloween this year. I’m considering “boo”ing people — gifting with little autumnal grab bags. Trick-or-treating is usually A Thing in my neighborhood, but last year we hardly had any. (I was giving out full size candy bars too!) So maybe I’ll deliver treats instead.
I celebrate the winter solstice, in a quieter reflective way, but definitely with presents and delish food. And one really does need a lot of cookies to stay up during the longest night! I really love the time between solstice and the beginning of the calendar year – it feels like time out of time to me. And there’s something precious about how so many people actually do try to be kind = even if it’s mostly hidden under layers of cynicism, commercialism, and frenzy.
It’s those tiny lights of kindness shining through during that time of year that make the dark more endurable.
Lovely description of ur Christmas season / yule! I would never have Googled what yule is….if i didn’t read this today 🙂 memories of backed goodies, family strife, presents all so well revived
Congrats on reaching end of a to z
Dropping by from a to z “The Pensive”
Yes! One more letter to go! 🙂
Baked goodies*
Christmas can be a mixed bag if there are underlying tensions, not just between people but if the individuals are experiencing tough stuff. Overall it’s my favourite (well Halloween is minimal and Thanksgiving doesn’t exist here)
I enjoy Xmas more now that we are super chilled about it – better in a hot climate. Simple meals but delicious, not running to a schedule, gifts kept to a minimum, just hanging out together. Sometimes we do the fancy table settings and some more gourmet meals but beers or bubbles and prawns and salad can be just as good. We all contribute too which makes it less stress. Aussies have finally reconciled themselves (mostly) to the fact we don’t have snow and fireplaces and hot dinners.
When the kids are at school it’s an exhausting time with the end of the school year, school concerts, graduations and work deadlines all in the beginning of December. makes it hard to stay relaxed.
I saw an Australian department store Cristmas display a few years ago — another blogger posted a photo — and it was of red-bathing-suited mannequins diving through buoys. I believe the caption was “dive into Christmas” which seemed perfect for Oz’s summer holiday. 🙂