December 2009
Christmas Every Day
I was once given a whimsical little book entitled “101 Uses for Fruit Cake”. It was a timely gift as I always have leftover Christmas cake. For days, its humour-filled pages left me chuckling. The days following the Christmas season are filled with leftovers, which are either wonderful or bittersweet depending on who you ask.
For the cook, all the leftover turkey, trimmings the holiday baking are a blessing. For children, the extra time away from school is great. For some though, the days following Christmas are an emotional rollercoaster of feelings of emptiness and disappointment. The Christmas parties are over, the gifts have been opened, the wrappings recycled and the excitement and anticipation of the holiday has fizzled out. It leaves many wondering why it can’t be Christmas every day.
Countdown to Christmas
"I am the Lord's servant," Mary answered. "May it be to me as you have said." Then the angel left her.
Each year the build-up to Christmas begins earlier and earlier. By mid-November the hustle and bustle season of making lists, shopping, baking, decorating and visiting has begun.
I remember Christmas preparations when I was a child as pleasant and anything but frantic. With anticipation my brother, my sister and I counted down to Christmas with our Advent calendar. Over the years the calendar’s glitter faded and its doors were repaired with tape yet in spite of its appearance, it remained a treasured part of our Christmas. We took turns opening a door each day until Christmas morning when we excitedly opened the double-doors that revealed Mary and Joseph and baby Jesus.