December 24, 2011

• welcome christmas

  In spite of myself, I believe there will be merriment. 

  I long for a Christmas where I’m done before Christmas Eve.  Spouse says I thrive in this last minute environment.  I’m not sure that I thrive, but I certainly do create it.  And I count on him to bail me out on a regular basis.

  Anyhow.  Finished the girls’ Christmas dresses 30 minutes before the party.  They are happy with them.  I very nearly bailed for the first time 14 years.  I always make their Christmas dresses.  Some years have been amazing.  Not so much this year.  Although, Spawn’s was cute.  I let LittleLoudOne pick her own and it’s fugly.  I’m annoyed that she wouldn’t wear one of the 3 fancy hand-me-downs she could have chosen from.  It had to be purple.  I get that she wants her own things now.  She has decided that she lives in her sister’s shadow.  It’s ridiculous, but it what she feels is true and therefore there is no reasoning with her.

  this is the year I had to make LLO a hat because someone whacked off her hair and she had a close encounter with the coffee table.

  this is one of the dresses she could have worn.

  another one of the dresses she could have worn.  (that’s THE chair, by the way.)

  these are the dresses I skipped the party to finish.  sucker.  2008

  Spouse made our contribution to the annual Christmas Eve party, thank goodness, and did a couple of the errands I ran out of time for.  We arrived almost on time.  I chose to read some poetry before going since no one else seemed in a hurry.  Party was nice, as always, but this year I got to have conversation with people I knew instead of random strangers.  So that was enjoyable. 

  Then we had the kids choir Christmas Eve service, which is probably my favorite churchy thing of the whole year.  I’ve been helping with this choir since Spawn was in 1st grade.  She’s grown out of it now, as a mature 9th grader.  But anyhow.  It’s always a big surprise.  Some years the kids are so wound it’s like being dragged behind a train.  We were almost sedate this year.  There’s just something about stuff with kids.  Most of the time I like kids more than I like grown-ups.  There’s no wondering what a kid means.  They just say it right out. 

  So now I’ve played Santa.  What Christmas crap there is, is under my beautiful tree.  The stockings are filled.  The last year of Santa’s bounty perched in front of the fireplace.  I can say this is the last year because 1)LLO is 11, it’s about time to be done believing 2) she emerged from her room (where she was supposed to be sleeping, ha ha) and probably saw the display anyhow  and 3) I used up the last bit of the special Santa paper and I’m not buying anymore.

  I’m not likely to finish the other project I had hoped.  And I don’t seem to care anymore.  Check out these horrible socks I’m crocheting.  Spawn’s are practically thigh high.  I started LittleLoudOne’s second, so they are both much shorter and not striped.  I’m just not that stupid. Of course, Spawn’s are done.  LLO’s not so much.

  

  And I’m waiting for my 2nd favorite churchy thing.  But instead of singing with the choir, I’ll be playing bells (which ought to go really well, since I only rehearsed once, I’ve been enjoying my boxed wine, and I’m not all that bright after a certain time of day.)  But still, it will be beautiful.  And it’s the way I start off my Christmas.  This is the point where it isn’t about what I need to finish.  It’s about choosing how to be, who to be, and enjoying the time I have with who I get to spend it with.  Yay.  So.  Cranky grinch person is nearly gone.

  Hey, people out there.  Here’s what I have to say.  Merry Christmas or whatever you’re celebrating.

  • 10:04 pm
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