I am grateful to have spent a nice day with my daughter. We had brunch out, did a little shopping, went over to one of my sister’s houses and hung out for a bit before heading toward home, picking up a Christmas tree stand on the way. Once we got home we set up the Christmas tree we’d purchased yesterday evening and took the boxes of decorations down from the attic. For the next couple of hours we watched a holiday special on television while we took the various decorations from their annual resting places and loaded up the tree with ornaments, and decorated bookshelves and tables with African American Santa Claus statues, Black angels, and a creche with all African American figurines. We still have a few things to set up, but we are just about finished with our holiday decorating.
Last Christmas I didn’t have a tree. I must confess to having a serious case of the blues which were difficult to shake for the holidays. So it was nice this year to pull out all of the sentimental paraphernalia that has been associated with Christmas for many, many years. It was nice to be decorating the tree with Michal. She owns several wonderful ornaments, annual gifts from my sister Ruth who is her godmother. Every year from the time Michal was about 5 years old Ruth has bought her unique Christmas ornaments. “So that someday when she is grown and has her own tree she will have ornaments of her own,” Ruth explained. It turns out to have been a brilliant strategy because Michal’s ornaments predominate on the tree this year. When Michal does go and have her own tree I’ll be in trouble because I don’t have tons of ornaments. I guess I’d better start buying myself some new ornaments. A number of mine have gotten damaged over the years. Nevertheless, our tree, which is a bit oddly shaped and has a great deal of “character” is now nicely lighted and decorated.
It was a nice day hanging out with Michal, though at various points I found myself missing my son. He won’t be able to join us for Christmas this year; his work schedule will not allow him to travel for any period of time, particularly on the holiday. He’ll likely have to work on Christmas day. The one thing I’ve looked forward to for much of my life is the Christmas holidays, primarily because it was one time I was almost guaranteed to see some, most, or all of my family in the same place at the same time. This year I will spend Christmas with three of my four sisters and my daughter. My two brothers will spend their holiday together in Indiana, and my oldest sister will travel up to New England for their Christmas. We figure we’ll connect via a Google hangout or some such technology that will allow us a little face time with various members of the family on Christmas day. It has been a luxury over all these years for us to continue getting together as a family for Christmas. This year will be a little different–for well over 30 years we have alternately gathered for Christmas in our hometown in Indiana at my elder brother’s house or in Washington, DC at my eldest sister’s house. This year for the first time in all those years she and her family will be away from DC for Christmas. While I will miss their presence and their hospitality, we will all be together in spirit wherever we each gather.
I am grateful to be part of a large and loving family who enjoy spending time together whether at the holidays or otherwise. It’s also really nice to see our children hanging out and developing close connections with one another. It’s nice when your kin folks genuinely like one another. I’m looking forward to spending more time with my sisters while Michal is visiting so she has a chance to connect with her aunties and cousins. Tis the season to be grateful.
