Slow down and cultivate a season of joy
It started out a joke. "This year," I announced, "we're giving the 12 Days of Christmas. Sophia, you get the partridge in a pear tree." I then assigned the other gifts, as everyone at the table rolled their eyes.
I explained that with bare root season here, it would be a good time to plant a pear tree. We don't have much use for a partridge all by itself. It wouldn't make much of a meal for this brood unless we threw in four calling birds and a couple of turtle doves. I offered the French hens to Alyona, thinking the birds might add an air of sophistication to her morning chores, but she just stared at me.
Not wanting to leave myself out of the fun, I offered to take the five gold rings. I was also interested in the eight maids-a-milking. I don't think we need all of them, but having a few back-up milkers, especially on cold mornings, would be a great addition around here.
The geese also sounded like a good deal. We raised two geese this year, aptly named Thanksgiving and Christmas. Thanksgiving was fabulous and Christmas is thawing in the fridge right now. We agreed that an extra half dozen geese, already raised, might be worthwhile.
The swans seemed pretty useless, since we don't have a pond. Perhaps we could regift them.
Nine ladies dancing could join the girls' impromptu ballet recitals. Ten lords a leaping, 11 pipers piping and 12 drummers drumming would fit right in with the boys and their activity level. I doubt I'd notice the increase in activity or noise.
Of course, I was outvoted. I couldn't even get anyone to sing along with me after dinner. With the song still bouncing around in my head, I started Christmas planning. In past years, I've been more prepared for gift giving, but this year, the date has been hurtling closer at an alarming rate.
Mixed in with my angst over how much shopping loomed ahead was the disappointment that this Christmas was already looking way too secular. Every year, I get the e-mails advising me to boycott any business that says "Happy Holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas," as if saying the magic words will somehow restore the true meaning to this religious observance.
We — and I suspect many others are the same — don't have to worry that marketing experts are diminishing this holiday. We are doing it ourselves, squeezing in so many activities and responsibilities that we leave no time for any meaningful reflection on the importance of this day. If we could have turned Christmas morning into a drive-thru, I think we might have signed up.
What started as a joke at lunch turned into a discussion of how frustrating it is to see the pile of presents lose their luster in one afternoon. Brian and I asked ourselves if there was a way to spread out the gift giving, to encourage the children to savor each gift. What if we did really celebrate Christmas over 12 days?
Mixed in with that conversation, we started working on a plan to use each of the days as an opportunity for all of us to learn more about the Christmas season. In the days between Christmas and Epiphany, we plan to slow down and cultivate a season of joy. As most people are finishing the holiday and packing up decorations, we will be getting started. We will spread out the gifts, feast every day and spend time in reflection.
Merry Christmas.
Rose Godfrey homeschools and celebrates Christmas in Hallwood. Her homeschool blog can be found on the Appeal-Democrat Web site at www.appealdemocrat.com.
