CRIMSON AND CLOVER-CHRISTMAS IS OVER (Tommy James and the Shondells-1968-69)
It was the winter of '69-oh yeah! We thought we made it up, (weren't we clever) but Wikipedia
says that lots of people thought those were the words.
Sooo, Christmas is over. Time to reflect.
I don't know when I became somewhat obsessed (regretfully passing it on to my progeny) with
"making" the perfect Christmas; the right food; the right treats; the right gifts, evenly distributed;
the right atmosphere; the right decorations. Providing everything for all my loved ones that I
deemed necessary. Always a book, nightwear, and many other "things" that constituted my idea
of must-haves.
I remember years ago, severe migraines occasionally occurring by Christmas day. (To be fair,
I had them at other times as well.) Exhaustion and worry that it all wouldn't be enough for them.
(for me?)
Still, I always loved the Holidays and continued my quest for my own vision of perfection. I re-
member making gifts when money was tight. Spending it all when money was abundant and
everywhere in between.
This year, none of us had the means to be lavish, but did more than we should have anyway.
Why? We know that our love for each other and the time spent together is 'the gift', and all
the gifts in the world would not replace time, happily and lovingly given! Yet still, we want to
'wrap it up' to provide ample evidence in a material way.
We spoke of this and are developing a plan for Christmas 2015 that will hopefully prevent
excess with food and gifts; promote relaxation and quality time together. I'm not sure exactly
how to achieve this goal. How to grow into expressing our love and caring in less monetary
ways? How to give up internal perfection fantasies? How to be reasonable and accept quality
over quantity in our gift-giving. With the exception of a few cherished children in our midst,
we are all adults here! I should be leading this reformation but feel woefully inadequate to
rally the troops.
None of us (except the afore-mentioned children) care about receiving-only giving. So, we
receive our joy by what we give. If, in our opinions, we don't give enough, we aren't going to
receive enough joy. I think this concept may be a baby step in the right direction!
Let's all 'think on these things.'
It was the winter of '69-oh yeah! We thought we made it up, (weren't we clever) but Wikipedia
says that lots of people thought those were the words.
Sooo, Christmas is over. Time to reflect.
I don't know when I became somewhat obsessed (regretfully passing it on to my progeny) with
"making" the perfect Christmas; the right food; the right treats; the right gifts, evenly distributed;
the right atmosphere; the right decorations. Providing everything for all my loved ones that I
deemed necessary. Always a book, nightwear, and many other "things" that constituted my idea
of must-haves.
I remember years ago, severe migraines occasionally occurring by Christmas day. (To be fair,
I had them at other times as well.) Exhaustion and worry that it all wouldn't be enough for them.
(for me?)
Still, I always loved the Holidays and continued my quest for my own vision of perfection. I re-
member making gifts when money was tight. Spending it all when money was abundant and
everywhere in between.
This year, none of us had the means to be lavish, but did more than we should have anyway.
Why? We know that our love for each other and the time spent together is 'the gift', and all
the gifts in the world would not replace time, happily and lovingly given! Yet still, we want to
'wrap it up' to provide ample evidence in a material way.
We spoke of this and are developing a plan for Christmas 2015 that will hopefully prevent
excess with food and gifts; promote relaxation and quality time together. I'm not sure exactly
how to achieve this goal. How to grow into expressing our love and caring in less monetary
ways? How to give up internal perfection fantasies? How to be reasonable and accept quality
over quantity in our gift-giving. With the exception of a few cherished children in our midst,
we are all adults here! I should be leading this reformation but feel woefully inadequate to
rally the troops.
None of us (except the afore-mentioned children) care about receiving-only giving. So, we
receive our joy by what we give. If, in our opinions, we don't give enough, we aren't going to
receive enough joy. I think this concept may be a baby step in the right direction!
Let's all 'think on these things.'
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