On the Sixth Day of a Feminine Christmas
It was such a joy to find this image, especially after my last post when I decided no matter what, I will always have a Christmas tree.
Our solitary lady is unpacking what appears to be years-old Christmas decorations, including tangled tinsel and garland. It’s a lovely composition with the family portraits on the wall behind her and a sweet vintage toy on the back of her sofa. I wonder if it was her boy’s, now long-grown and gone. Again, a smaller tree rounds out the visage. I do hope her holiday is not solitary…
Christmas changes throughout the years, doesn’t it? I enjoyed my Christmas Eve open house for many years but now I spend the night with my daughter and her children. I wouldn’t miss it for anything but we have to be open to modifications in our celebrations as the years go by. I remember how torn I was when my new inlaws became more than a bit miffed when we chose not to visit them on our first Christmas morning, wanting it for our young newlywed selves. I promised myself then that I would never put pressure on my loved ones like that. I believe that Christmas is what one makes it and flexibility with changing scenery and people is essential.
I’ve had many incarnations of Christmas in my lifetime; the years I was growing up and the joyous pinnacle visit to my grandparents, those years with HIM, the quiet holidays as a single mother, and more recently, the years I hosted my festive party. But the characters change too, with loved ones edited out like a game of musical chairs. So many that attended my Christmas Eve’s have passed on or moved away or have new grandchildren of their own to visit. Soft, caring, and adjustable attitudes and the willingness to make new memories with new people is what carries Christmas year after year. I believe our optimistic lady above knew that. Afterall, she still has a tree!
6 Comments
Ann Y.
Love the picture…and all your posts. Yes, Christmas changes over the years, but we can still find the joy. And yes, I will always have a tree. We still do our tall, artificial tree…and may go smaller, but will always have one. Friends and family change as years go past, but the meaning of Christmas abides, and God puts people in our path to enjoy on the journey. Merry Christmas !
A Lovely Inconsequence
Merry Christmas Ann!
Dana
Such a sweet image and inspirational words. Like you, my years of celebrating Christmas constantly change however I refuse to let the true spirit disappear. I want to thank you for your blog as it has meant so much to me over the years. I often read it when insomnia strikes as it’s calming tone and thoughtful words are exact what I need at times.
A Lovely Inconsequence
Merry Christmas Dana! And thank you so much!
A Lovely Inconsequence
Merry Christmas Dana!
Karen
You really hit the nail on the head! It’s so true that when we become rigid and ironclad in our rituals, we lose the true spirit of Christmas, don’t we? After all, I’m sure Mary and Joseph assumed they would be spending their holidays in their hometown, celebrating with family. Instead, they celebrated the first Christmas in a barn, in a land miles away from their own, with only a manger to shelter their newborn son. And any holidays they celebrated going forward for a few years, they did so as refugees in Egypt!! I’m so glad you wrote about this, because yes, flexibility and an openness to God’s plans for our lives are so essential as we get older. This was a blessing to read! Thank you for sharing this wonderful insight!!