Our little nativity scene that continues to grow as we receive shepards and angels from dear friends and relatives. The stable is from an unfinished furniture store, painted and sanded with words added – lyrics to Joy to the World. We have another set where baby Jesus lies in a manger. On Christmas morning he is brought out on a frosted bed…..a birthday cake we will serve later that afternoon. When I was in second grade I was one of two chosen students to carry a large cake down to the altar during the children’s mass on Christmas Eve. You can imagine the scene as all the children in church scurried up for a tiny slice. It made such an impression on me that when it came time to begin our own family traditions at Christmas when Peter was born we replaced the usual apple pie with birthday cake for dessert. Afterall, birthdays are something kids know and remember, especially when it comes with lots of presents! I admit I’m not a baker during the holidays, we save cookie baking for after Christmas – something to do together during the break from school. However, I do bake this one special cake. Happy Birthday baby Jesus!
Another of our family traditions – to collect spoons from our travels throughout the years. Yes, those cheesy tourist souvenirs. Here is a fraction of the collection. It is fun to pull them out each year and remember the places we have been together. Since this is a tradition we are known for we are given beautiful silver spoons as gifts too. This summer I went home to visit my family in Minnesota. One afternoon I spent with my Grandmother and she told me to go into her curio cabinet to pick out something for myself. She has this beautiful display for all her Waterford and Belleek and other special treasures. Since I already scored her pearl inlay opera glasses when I got married I couldn’t make myself choose anything…..until I saw on the bottom shelf, in the back corner, a small stack of silver spoons. There were tales told of where they came from…..one tiny, sweet spoon spoke to me. I held it in my hand, knowing I would add it to my tree to remember that visit, that afternoon. The spoon, it turns out, is a salt serving spoon, from her silver set….somehow it had strayed from the velvet lined box and was hiding in that corner, waiting for to take it home. Thank you Grandma, it’s on the tree.
I was talking with a friend and we were discussing the political correctness of wishing someone a Merry Christmas, particularly if you’re not sure whether they celebrate Christmas. We came to the conclusion that most people know if you’re saying Merry Christmas, and they actually celebrate Hannakuh, or something else, that they will take it with it’s intended message which is "I wish for you and your family all the joys of the season, whatever it is that you honor". None of wants to offend another, we respect diversity, and we just want to wish each other well, right? Take a deep breath, smell the pine and cinnamon, turn on some wonderful music (Like Sarah McLachlan’s Wintersong) and enjoy being with, or calling long distance, those you love. Merry Christmas.
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