There is a tradition in my family around the holidays and that tradition is to be relaxed about when and where we celebrate. I've grown up celebrating Christmas five days early or with only a couple of siblings; I got to have two Christmas mornings for most of my teen years at my dad's and then my mom's. There are only two things that stay constant: the Christmas tree and a date that changes every year.
In my own home, I've never had traditions either, except a small Thanksgiving gathering I'm opting not to host any longer. This year it seemed fairly fitting to do things methodically and with purpose. It's the first Christmas I've ever had as a fully functioning adult - alone.
Well, not really alone. I have my physical friends and family nearby. I have, thankfully, Pepper (who is, by all accounts, still wonderful!), Haylie the WonderPup, and some renegade 10 year olds I occasionally borrow when I need an excuse to go to the Crayola Factory. And, I have this wonderful group of people, out there, in cyber space, who have done something remarkable.
I wanted my Christmas tree, decorated with colored lights (because TxGhost of Christmas Past thinks color lights are "trashy" - bah humbug!), and my own ornaments from childhood. I haven't had a tree that wasn't an argument since I was 17 and living at home. I had visions of Mickey Mouse, my icicles, two fairies, a manger scene, and this little pink ball that no one seems to remember except me, all neatly hung on a tree. After hours of searching for them, I declared them missing, or broken - or both maybe. My sad, little, ranty post in a community of invisible people comforted me as I told everyone how those ornaments were gone forever, possibly victims of foul play.
I started receiving emails, first from people I have spoken to before, or possibly even met. And then, the ones from people I didn't know at all started. The gist of the emails was:
Dear Shroomie,
My name is <poster from the boards>, and I would really like to send you an ornament since you are missing yours. If you don't think I'm a stalker, please send me your address.
Merry Christmas!
<poster from the boards>
<real name>
A lot of people, by the way, said "Merry Christmas to Pepper too!", but I digress.
In true fashion, I had a hard time with the idea of people sending me ornaments, but as it became clear that Iwould find them in a few hours would never find them again, I started to respond with my address. Two weeks later, I have found myself with over sixty ornaments from twenty five people. The majority of those people, I don't know in person. It's so many ornaments that I've had to get a second tree.
I can not begin to tell you how exciting it is to come home to packages everyday. I continue to be blessed by ornaments, some old, some new, some passed down in families, some homemade; I have a tree full of trinkets from all over North America. I have a little piece of Brick's wedding, Spot's 2nd grade, Linda's grandmother, BBFarm's aunt. Deb has an ornament to remember me on her tree and I have three to remember her. PP send me a crab, an eggplant, some cheese, and a mushroom. Oh, the mushrooms. I have over a dozen. Who needs one.mushroom now?
There are more that have been sent and given to me, and none of them are more special than any other, even though I didn't list them all. My heart (and living room) is bursting with love every time I think about or see these wonderful acts of kindness sent by people I know and love.
And by the way, I found my other ornaments. :)
Merry Christmas, my friends. I know mine will be.
In my own home, I've never had traditions either, except a small Thanksgiving gathering I'm opting not to host any longer. This year it seemed fairly fitting to do things methodically and with purpose. It's the first Christmas I've ever had as a fully functioning adult - alone.
Well, not really alone. I have my physical friends and family nearby. I have, thankfully, Pepper (who is, by all accounts, still wonderful!), Haylie the WonderPup, and some renegade 10 year olds I occasionally borrow when I need an excuse to go to the Crayola Factory. And, I have this wonderful group of people, out there, in cyber space, who have done something remarkable.
I wanted my Christmas tree, decorated with colored lights (because TxGhost of Christmas Past thinks color lights are "trashy" - bah humbug!), and my own ornaments from childhood. I haven't had a tree that wasn't an argument since I was 17 and living at home. I had visions of Mickey Mouse, my icicles, two fairies, a manger scene, and this little pink ball that no one seems to remember except me, all neatly hung on a tree. After hours of searching for them, I declared them missing, or broken - or both maybe. My sad, little, ranty post in a community of invisible people comforted me as I told everyone how those ornaments were gone forever, possibly victims of foul play.
I started receiving emails, first from people I have spoken to before, or possibly even met. And then, the ones from people I didn't know at all started. The gist of the emails was:
Dear Shroomie,
My name is <poster from the boards>, and I would really like to send you an ornament since you are missing yours. If you don't think I'm a stalker, please send me your address.
Merry Christmas!
<poster from the boards>
<real name>
A lot of people, by the way, said "Merry Christmas to Pepper too!", but I digress.
In true fashion, I had a hard time with the idea of people sending me ornaments, but as it became clear that I
I can not begin to tell you how exciting it is to come home to packages everyday. I continue to be blessed by ornaments, some old, some new, some passed down in families, some homemade; I have a tree full of trinkets from all over North America. I have a little piece of Brick's wedding, Spot's 2nd grade, Linda's grandmother, BBFarm's aunt. Deb has an ornament to remember me on her tree and I have three to remember her. PP send me a crab, an eggplant, some cheese, and a mushroom. Oh, the mushrooms. I have over a dozen. Who needs one.mushroom now?
There are more that have been sent and given to me, and none of them are more special than any other, even though I didn't list them all. My heart (and living room) is bursting with love every time I think about or see these wonderful acts of kindness sent by people I know and love.
And by the way, I found my other ornaments. :)
Merry Christmas, my friends. I know mine will be.
