Let’s face it: December is always a bit of a gong show, right? Put up the lights outside: two full days (our house is THE house in the ‘hood for Christmas lights). Decorate the tree: one full day. Decorate the house: fifteen minutes of haphazardly tossing things onto tables because after the outside lights and the tree I really don’t care any more and just want it done. Then the shopping, the wrapping, the grocery store, the company, and oh my goodness the cooking. Honestly, by the time January comes, I’m ready to toss the tree out the front door and I’d happily pay someone to come and take all the lights down.
And so, this year, we decided that December was going to be different. In August, we booked a Christmas trip with my parents: a Christmas week cruise down the west coast of Mexico. I was still planning to do all the decorating and other holiday traditions. But then my episode in September came along, and so I was already in the process of reconsidering what was important for me to do come December when my episode in November happened. That made it easy to make the decision to cancel Christmas this year.
There will still be Jesus, and the celebration of His birth. But for the first time in my 47 years, there is no tree. There are no decorations aside from the lovely swag of greens on our front door. There is no shopping, no buying, no wrapping, no visiting with friends. Our yard is dark. The house is lit by candles instead of hundreds of twinkle lights. It’s super weird. And I have to say, I LOVE it! I am fully embracing our journey towards the darkest day of the year in simplicity and peace.
Those two episodes of mine have completely re-framed what is important and more crucially than that, what is necessary. This December, peace is necessary. Simplicity is necessary. Solitude is necessary. Quiet is necessary. Sleep and rest and meditation and yoga are necessary.
I’m loving the quiet and the stillness at a time of year when I often don’t have even a moment to myself. I have enjoyed walking through our neighbourhood in the dark, taking in the lights and sights of Christmas. And then I come home, where it is still and quiet and peaceful. And I am thankful. Thankful that I’m still here to see it all. Thankful that we’ve chosen a different path this year. Most of all though, I’m thankful for second chances and new beginnings. I’m thinking it will be a merry Christmas, indeed!
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