It's not the best time of the year for me. First, it's cold. Second, Christian religious traditions aren't very interesting to me. Third, I deplore commercialism. Christmas is a three strikes event. I admit there is a tiny bit of nostalgia which springs more from habit than anything. If I lived where the weather is warm, I would not even notice the Christmas thing.
The problem with my "holiday ho-hum" is the expectation accompanying the holiday stuff. Gift-giving is still being practiced in my family, but fortunately the X-mas tree in my house is a thing of the past. I think my kids got the idea when one year, instead of spending $25 to buy one, I painted a tree on a sheet and hung it on the wall. (I've always encouraged creativity!) Thank goodness greeting cards have given way to email! That saves a ton of time and energy. I admit I am engaging in one tradition of sorts. I wrote a letter this year - one of those "year in review" types. It's great fun to write a synopsis of the year. Deciding what is important, what is not. Dissecting how and what I want to say, and what I would rather keep private.
This past year has been all about successfully embracing change. My identity has shifted majorly from independent artiste to adult student in public health, my employment situation has shifted twice, I graduated from one institution of higher learning and enrolled in another, my hair is highlighted with long strands of unpigmented silvery white, I've lived alone for the first time in over two decades, and I'm clearly not willing to settle for a love relationship just to have one! It's been a good year in many ways.
The holiday ho-hum is always brightened, nonetheless, by the music not shared at any other time of the year. This, to me, is the holiday's greatest gift. No matter how nontraditional I can be, there are few things that give me as much joy as singing Christmas Carols with my sister, my daughter, my mother or other friends who are good singers! That, in fact, is where the ho-hum takes a hike!
Last night, at a friend's annual holiday party, I sang carols with a few dear people to me - a "hunka" sister (adopted in heart and spirit), and an old musician friend who has a wonderful baritone voice. Our spontaneous in-the-kitchen festive sing-a-long was the highlight of my evening.
More singing will glisten the next few nights until the lights go out on this holiday and we put away the songs for another year. Ho - Hum, I guess I'll just have to hum my way through the ho-ho-ho!
No comments:
Post a Comment