I haven’t been totally filled with “Holiday Spirit” for some time now although the top is still within reach. I’m not talking about the free-flowing spirits with which many find necessary to celebrate Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s.
Some folks look for these three holidays—along with Labor Day, Memorial Day, the Fourth of July, and Donut Day—as a time to drink to their heart’s content. By the way, Donut Day falls on Friday, June 6, in 2025.
The holiday spirit or cheer I’m talking about is uncontained excitement such as what kids experience in elementary school right before Christmas, knowing that classes will soon be put on hold until after the first of January. Brightly wrapped presents underneath the tree go along with this.
I don’t need to be reminded of the real reason for the season: Christmas. It’s the birthday of my Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. That alone is reason enough to continue celebrating life and be filled with joy.
In my book, Thanksgiving began when the Pilgrims broke bread with Indigenous American Indians, while New Year’s means another year has passed. It’s also a time to look to the future.
Like so many older people, I tend to now look at holidays with a touch of sadness. I often think back to the time when parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles, and good friends were still here to celebrate.
I’m elated to still be around and take in activities with my own children, grandchildren, and pals, yet the elimination of debilitating back pain and other physical ailments in my body would make for a bit more elation. Only those going through such will understand.
My wife and I decorated for the first time in several years mainly because the grandchildren were coming for Thanksgiving. I had our Kansas-manufactured, metal Saguaro cactus wrapped in red, green, blue, and white LED lights which entailed working off a ladder in the back of our truck.
A few close calls were made going up and down it. The Made in China faux Christmas tree in our living room was safely put together and thankfully has built-in bulbs. I’m sure these decorations will be up through a portion of the new year.
Christmas cards are still a part of our holiday experience although only a few now get sent. We’ve got boxes and boxes of them, enough to last ’til the dinosaurs come home.
Sadly, finding cards in our mailbox is slowly dying much like people we know—five this year alone. A friend was just diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer. His doctor recommended that the family be notified immediately. That news is never easy to take.
I’ll try to reignite my holiday spirit by watching Hallmark Christmas movies with Joleen, yet I can only take so many repeated scripts and bad acting. Last week, two movies in a row had basically the same plot. I can generally predict the outcome.
Not to totally change subjects, but Albertson’s recently had Martinelli’s sparkling apple cider on sale and I purchased eight bottles for the holidays alone—two at a time because this was the limit. Being nonalcoholic—there’s plenty of carbonation in this juice to bloat a whale.
Of course, gas is an unwanted byproduct of carbonation. On the positive side, apple juice supplies seniors with a sufficient amount of fiber.
After downing my share of the delicious fruit elixir, watching Christmas movies with anyone on New Year’s Day wouldn’t be a wise idea. A solo walk in the desert will work best to start 2025 off on the right foot.
It’ll also be a good opportunity to thank God for all his blessings, reflect on the past, pray for friends and family, and pray for this country’s future. If 2025 starts as well as 2024 ends, my holiday spirit should move up another rung on the ladder of joy!
I like to write junk... 