Too much tablecloth? I admit I am a little Christmas wacky. Yes, of course I still believe in Santa. Yes, of course I celebrate the birth of the little baby Jesus. We have been buds for… well, forever. Santa friendship has been a little spotty at times. The guy has so much to do, and there are so many people to take care of. The cushy chair in the dining room is a relocation from the living room for tree space.

Christ? He has always been there, when I have been naughty, when I have been nice. When I have been happy with lots of peace of mind. When things have been dark and I’ve felt I was at the lowest point in my life. No matter what, I’ve never felt alone and I have always felt guidance. In fact, I have never been confused and not right from wrong, even when I’ve failed to follow the right path.

Visiting family in in New York City at the moment. They are the Griswolds. They travel and celebrate Christmas with the spirit of Adventure. They flew into Boston, drove down to NYC, then will head up to Maine in a day or two and will immerse themselves in a New England, visiting Dad Christmas.

My wife and I always remained at home for Christmas and New Year’s day. How could we leave with a tree and decorations to put up, presents under the tree for family and friends. There were exception. Time in the military when I was overseas. Times when grown children decided to be elsewhere and gifts were mailed and phone calls replaced presence. The latter made for difficult times, but that’s life.

Problem – solution? Try to make home someplace where family and friends want to be. So the tree goes up with gifts beneath, the lights go up, the dinner table cloth and place mats smack you in the face and say, “MERRY CHRISTMAS. And the Nativity Scene replaces all else on the top of the living room antique trunk. And if that doesn’t work, there is Christmas 2026!

Gift giving…

Since my wife and I got married, we always clashed on giving gifts or cash on Christmas and birthdays. I always though it was a chance to show the recipient that you paid enough attention to them as people that you knew what they would want. My wife had the novel idea of giving them cash so they can get exactly what they want and not have to do with shipping things home or standing in return lines. Easy for her, she was an adult and my sensitivity for gift selections was perhaps not as spot on as I once considered.

So this is a year of gift cards. I am sure I will be apologizing and explaining away the change. They will probably have no idea why I will apologize and think how refreshing to not pay the post office to ship gifts home. There will be no more breakfast sandwich makers to put in the closet, or shirts that don’t fit, or My Little Pony lunch boxes placed in the hands of a puzzled college student.

They will probably pool the gift cards and, next year, visit Europe.

So I will say it yet again, because I never could say it enough. Merry Christmas to you and yours!

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