Christmas Unwrapped December 14, 2010
Posted by nrhatch in Humor, People.trackback
Like Bob Cratchit, I am “behind my time” . . .
The decorations are up (or out)
Santas and reindeer strewn about
Christmas is just round the bend
But our cards are not ready to send
We’ve watched Christmas classics
The Grinch, Scrooge, & Bob Cratchit
The house seems merry & bright
But there’s nary a present in sight
Pomanders studded with cloves
Holiday cards arrive daily in droves
We must have organized friends
Our newsletter’s not even penned
Related posts: Ring Out Solstice Bells * Joy To The World * Ho~Ho~Ho! Merry Christmas! * Santa Claus is Coming to Town * Gifts of Hope
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Spirit Lights The Way 
I’ve written one card and it’s been sitting here on my desk for a week, keep meaning to take it to the Post Office. Reckon I’ll do a quick group email on the 24th …
When I practiced law, and worked outside the home, I had my presents wrapped and ready to send by December 1st.
Cards, stuffed with an illustrated newsletter, followed on the heels of the packages.
I knew if I didn’t get it done early, it wouldn’t get done. This year, I decided to wait for an actual “impulse” to wrap packages and write the newsletter.
I’m still waiting. 🙂
Love the Santa Manatee!
Sounds like you’re already in a pretty Christmas-y frame of mind. There’s nothing like returning to the same sights, sounds, scents, and tastes of the holidays. So many memories can be wrapped up in a single decoration, one bite of a holiday treat.
I find that all “the other stuff,” -the cards and letters- tends to fall into place. For now, keep on enjoying the season! Hope you have a wonderful one!
That Santa Manatee is standing in the lobby at the local planetarium and aquarium. Snooty (the real one, not this cardboard cutout) is one of the oldest manatees in captivity.
I’m thinking that some of the “other stuff” is going to fall by the wayside, rather than falling into place.
I’m realizing how much I’ve been guided by tradition, social convention, and the expectations of others in mapping out my holiday prep.
Apparently, I don’t like writing a newsletter or sending Christmas cards, as much as I thought I did. 😉
I know what you mean. Yesterday, a whole bunch of Christmas cards came to my house and I haven’t even started on mine. Awkward!
One thing I’ve noticed about most of the cards ~ they’re perfunctory greetings from far away friends rather than true efforts to connect.
Maybe we’ve become so used to 30 second sound bites on social networking sites (“I haz a happy!”) that we’ve lost the art of staying “in touch.”
In any event, I’ve decided that I will not write a newsletter or send a card until I actually WANT to engage in those activities.
At this point, it may be 2011 before that happens. 🙂
What a darling verse so terse and true of me, not only you! Although my decorations are few, I must get started on those other matters. Thank you for the reminder. Blessings to you…
It did motivate me a bit . . . I’m wrapping presents for my nieces and nephews. 🙂
Happy Holidays! 🙂
I don’t have a single present to wrap this year, except we wrapped the gifts for our two “Angel Children.” Those gifts were delivered by some church “elves” last Saturday. I also wrapped, rather boxed, two packages to mail to Jess in South Africa for for one child in particular and others who need filler for their bags for Christmas. I was concerned the boxes would not arrive in time so I sent ahead some cash for her to purchase the necessary items. I’m sort of wishing now that I had sent all cash instead, because I found out today that the cost of mailing the two boxes will be about $112! That that almost comes to the amount I spent on the gifts in the packages. Live and learn. I’m used to mailing priority mail flat rate boxes to APO addresses, which go at the standard U.S. rate. I did a stop to think that the cost of shipping to South Africa will be a lot higher than that! The good thing about it is that I had a blast shopping for the children. If I’m going to overspend at Christmas, this is the way I prefer to do it, so all is well!
Ashley and I are so busy preparing our music, that we’ve not done a card yet. I’m not entirely convinced we would get them out before the new year. I had that newsletters in the past, but I sincerely doubt I’ll have time this year, particularly considering that all of my tasks take twice as long one handed. At least that’s my excuse!:-D
I forgot to say that we bought for each member of our family (for practically no money, they were on clearance) one of those tacky Snugglies. I want to get a picture of all of us wearing our own. The caption will be, ” the Calhoun cult.” Ashley and I have always thought that the ads for those things make the people look like cult members. Our future daughter in love is going to sell one for Zoë. But we’re not going to wrap those.
For Christmas dinner, I’m going to make a big pot of seafood gumbo. It’s been awhile since I’ve made it although I haven’t forgotten how. Since this cast has not come off until December 27, it should be an interesting project. But as most of the Christmas pressures were disposed of this year, I don’t expect to be too stressed.
If you don’t get a card from me, and this goes for all your readers, I’ll take the opportunity now to wish you all the very best that Christmas has to offer: love, joy, fulfillment, serenity, hope, and blessed peace. Surely, such blessings are enough…
Love to you all,
From Paula and Sonya
Cindy warned me about the cost of mailing to South Africa some time ago. Sounds like her advice was “on the money.”
Glad that your holidays are unfolding exactly the way you want them to be.
Peace, hope, love, and joy to you and yours!
P.S. All those weird errors are Sonya’s fault. At least she didn’t misspell anything! In a hurry, I failed to proofread before mailing – but I won’t accept the blame!
Fair enough. 😉
where is out christmas spirit? i just bought the last of a few meager gifts today and forced myself to wrap even fewer after dinner. i always wait far too late to start any of this stuff and i always say i will be better at it the next year. at fifty that still hasn’t happened!
Maybe we’re all opening our eyes to the negative impact our holiday “spirit” (i.e., spending) has on the Earth. 🙂