Christmas

Christmas was low-key this year, but good.  I got the house cleaned up, made a brunch casserole, and Mom and Dad came in.  I never, ever got ornaments on the tree or unpacked a single piece of either of my two Christmas collections this year.  Part of me wants to run to the back and grab one nativity and put it out, but I think it's probably really too late for that....

Mom and Dad were pleased with what they got.  That made me happy.  The thing I was gladdest of was one of the smallest gifts.  I had gotten my Dad a bubble light nightlight from Vermont Country Store because he and I had talked about how much he liked the old bubble lights when he was little.  Mom won't really get them for their tree at their house because she doesn't really like them.  Therefore, I got him his own "individual bubble light" that he can put in his bathroom.  He really seemed to like it.  Shopping for him is super-hard, so that I was able to get him something that he liked that much was a big deal for me.

I got mostly DVDs this year....the Doctor Who Key to Time set I've been trying to save up enough money for for about three years now, Notorious with Cary Grant and Ingrid Bergman, and the Fred Astaire and Ginger Rodgers 4 movie set TCM just put out.  I won't be worth much over the next week or so.

I also got a wonderful pop-up book of mythology.  It's endlessly fascinating.  The very first page is Anubis, and since he's been a figure of wonder for me since I was about 6, seeing him unfold himself to extend his hands toward me when I opened the first page was delightful.  It covers all the major pantheons with even a Hawaiian fire goddess included.  I love pop-up stuff anyway, have ever since I was a kid and I used to look at my Mom's old Jolly-Jump-Up book from when she was a child.  This one is labeled 5 and up, but the "and up" portion of the world can certainly enjoy it.

I had to laugh at one point during our "gifting."  I had gone to the back to drag Mom's little garden tractor/scoot/cart from out of hiding in my office, and she had run out to their car to bring in a little red table they'd secretly gotten me from my favorite juntique, Hwy 45 Antique Mall.  We were both coming in the door at the same time.  Nothing like stealth....

All in all, we had a good, peaceful day, and we're blessed.  Blessed to have each other and to be able to give things to each other.  I'm glad we had this kind of Christmas instead of the kind we've had in some of the years past where one or more of us were waiting on this operation or that.  Even if I never got enough Spirit up to decorate, at least we are all well and together.  Maybe next year, I'll be in a different place mentally, and the mighty festive household will resurrect itself from the ashes.