We had a very small Christmas this year: my wife Liz and I and her mother Janet. I have written often about how wonderful our large family Christmas celebrations are. Did that make this a diminished Christmas?
Many things were the same. We had a beautiful spruce tree, which we cut at a Christmas tree farm here in northern Wisconsin, wrapped in plastic mesh, and paid for, even though the farm’s owners were not there. They had set everything up for do-it-yourself customers like us. We put up as many lights as we had, then covered every possible branch with ornaments, most decades old. Presents went under the tree, although this year there was plenty of room.
Our stockings were hung by the chimney with care, and were magically filled up by Christmas morning. After eating some homemade coffee cake, we opened the presents, one at a time, passing them around our small circle. This year there was lots of chocolate, along with the many books that always appear, and photos of the youngest members of the family.
It’s easy to focus on what was missing – the excited delight of children playing with new toys, passing silly gifts around the room, ritual readings of The Night Before Christmas and The Polar Express.
Across the country, Christmas gatherings were smaller than ever this year. Only about one-third as many people as usual took airplanes around Christmas. We did get to see our children on Christmas using the electronic video messaging technology that has allowed us throughout the pandemic to interact with them, and develop and maintain relationships with our little grandchildren.
Was this a diminished Christmas? I still woke up on Christmas morning with anticipation. Opening presents and watching loved ones open their presents was still fun. The chocolates tasted just as good as usual, the fire was warm, and the new books entertaining.
I would have preferred to spend the day with all of our family. But in our separate homes, we are all healthy, while the number of COVID cases has skyrocketed across the country. The moratorium on evictions and renewed unemployment payments do not affect any of us, and we don’t really need the stimulus checks we will soon receive. We survived the deadliest year of our lives and can look forward to a return to normal family life in a few months.
We will have many more Christmases. This one was not the best, but it was one we shall all remember.
In comparison to 2020, the New Year promises to be very happy.
Steve Hochstadt
Springbrook WI
December 29, 2020
Many of my columns are collected in Freedom of the Press in Small-Town America: My Opinions, available from the publisher:
https://www.atlantic-pub.com/product-page/freedom-of-the-press-in-small-town-america-my-opinions
and from Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/Freedom-Press-Small-Town-America-Opinions/dp/1620238209/
In my house, alone, the best christmas yet. No tree, decor, fancy food, or any other change in my life. It was the best b/c I opened the door Christmas morning to fine 4.5 inches of pristine, clean snow. The trees were covered, the deck and roof. Icicles hung from the gutters and the sun glint on the snow in the trees standing in the sunlight. Not even deer tracks through the white icing on my lawn. (Those came later on). Perfection. A happy day in every way. Books to read, music to hear, blue skies, snow photos, chocolates and coffee, quiet, peace.
ReplyDeleteWorth being there. Giving me hope for the coming year. For which, I can thank the virus.