Last week was a (half) marathon. The rest of Christmastime is a sprint. And the season seems to be passing alarmingly fast this year. Turns out, that’s not just perception, it’s fact. Thanksgiving in the United States falls on the fourth Thursday in November. It can be as early as November 22nd and as late as November 28th. Each year, it moves one day earlier in that range, and two days in years that include February 29th. In 2023, Thanksgiving was on November 23rd. With the extra day in February, the cycle reset so this year it was on November 28th. The shortest interval between Thanksgiving and Christmas. It really is a sprint.
The last blog article of the year, recalling a holiday story or memory, is always my favorite. We’ll come back to data and analytics and everything in the new year. Now, though, let’s take some time to just be in the moment.
This particular moment was captured last Christmas Eve. I’ve been waiting all year to get it back out and share it. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to you and yours.
See you next year.
I love Christmas tree lights.
It takes me an entire afternoon to light our tree. This year just over 2000 lights cover our 8-foot tree. Each branch is wrapped, creating a twinkling, 3-D effect. Hallmark Magic Cord Santa Claus ornaments slowly blink red and green behind the sofa and a row of lighthouses shine white nearby. The house is dark, but the family room is aglow. The family room is happiest when it has a Christmas tree in it.
It’s approaching midnight on Christmas Eve. Earlier we helped with music at three services at two different churches. Music is a large part of my family’s Christmas Eve tradition. So is frozen pizza for dinner, because there’s not the time, energy, or inclination to make a big meal. That’s tomorrow.
Everyone else has gone to bed. I carry down the presents and arrange them under the tree. Now everything is finished. Or at least everything that’s going to be done this year. The caroling. The concerts. The gatherings. The decorating. The planning, shopping, wrapping, and shipping.
This is my favorite moment of the Christmas season.
The anticipation of Christmas morning and of dinner with family remain, but I cherish this moment of calm. Of completion. Of contentment. I pour a glass of boiled custard and sit in the chair facing the tree.
As I write this, it is exactly midnight Christmas morning. Merry Christmas!!
Wishing you a moment of peace this Christmas season.
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