By Daniel Winningham
The holiday season has arrived. Sure, there may be leftover turkey (or whatever meat one prefers for holiday meals, chicken, ham, etc.) in the fridge, and other side dishes still to finish up. The dessert goodies of pumpkin and pecan pie? Long gone! No matter what’s in the fridge (hopefully, eggnog?), it’s early December and the excitement and anticipation is building.
Yes, Thanksgiving is over and the Christmas season here. Well, in reality Advent is here and there are still a few more weeks left (three weeks and a day — a mere 22 days to be exact, if anyone is already counting down to Christmas Eve) and there is still a lot to accomplish.
It’s the most wonderful time of the year, or, at least that’s how the holiday song goes.
Wonderful in what context, though?
It’s all in proper perspective one takes. The baking, decorating, caroling, visits with Santa, family gatherings, Christmas Eve program practice, presents and whatever else is next can both be stressful as well as a major budget-breaker.
Everyone likely has something they look forward to as Christmas approaches. Perhaps it’s a fun, holiday tradition such as decorating the tree together, baking those special Christmas cookies for a family or friend’s cookie exchange.
A few other possibilities are watching a favorite holiday film or television show (Charlie Brown Christmas anyone?), attending a Christmas Eve service with extended family, getting that perfect family photo and sending out Christmas cards, playing a favorite board game or two, enjoying a drink and catching up on holiday greetings from family members that seem to arrive. The possibilities are endless.
Many have ornaments on the tree and their outdoor lights up. Take a drive around town and its easy to spot a variety of holiday displays, from the simple such as the words “joy” or “hope,” and carefully placed candy canes or plastic candles, a white, wooden manger scene of Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus with a single spotlight illuminating it, to colored lights adorning the gutters as well as other more busy displays featuring plenty of penguins, snowmen, reindeer (and possibly a famous one with a red nose), elves and Santas in his sleigh. I even spotted a Yoda on Edgemont. Not entirely sure how that can be defined as Christmas other that it’s green. Remember, if it’s green and red, it qualifies.
It does feel like Christmas and it’ll look a little more like Christmas this Saturday when the big new tree at the Downtown Plaza is lit and the manger in the Perry County Courthouse lawn is on display.
I have not put up exterior Christmas lights for the past two years and I’m not happy about that. There’s something about going through the process of untangling them and making sure they’re all working properly. That probably makes me a Grinch, or, in “Santa terms”, not on the nice list for 2021. Moving twice in the past 12 months may have a little something to do with that. I’ll admit, there are likely a few strands of salvageable lights, and I’ll get to them, eventually. I apologize. I just may not find them before 2022. There will be a Christmas tree to put up, just not sure when that’s officially taking place. It’ll be soon, I promise.
This isn’t an advice column just yet. However, if you’re in need of a little direction for the next few weeks, here’s a brief start:
Be compassionate. Be grateful. Be thankful. Be kind. Be patient. Finally, be of good cheer.
-Thanks for reading!
Daniel Winningham is the managing editor of the Republic-Monitor. He can be reached at 573-547-4567, ext. 227 or email editor@perryvillenews.com.
