dual personalities

On Sunday our preacher (the Associate Rector who is pretty good) reminded us that we post-modern Christians are like Isaiah’s Jews in exile in Babylon. He warned us against becoming too comfortable in this world, especially during Advent. Good point.

I try to keep in mind that Jesus is indeed the reason for the season. I try not to go overboard on buying presents and decorating the house. But December is the month when the Puritan in me takes a vacation.

I think this is because so much of the Christmas season is tied up in memory and in remembering our childhood Christmases. In tradition: This is how we always did it.

So happy in 1959

Our mother loved Christmas. She loved the decorations, the presents, the wrapping of presents, the writing of special poems for cards, the mailing of packages, the making of fruit cakes. It was a big deal at our house.

Happy again in 1962

Not to decorate the house and have two trees and all that goes with them would seem like treachery somehow. That may seem like a strong word, but that’s how I feel. I am always surprised by people who no longer put up a tree in their empty nest. Why bother? Well, because.

The Scrooge in me does get annoyed with the houses that have their lights done professionally in the neighborhoods where one-upmanship seems to be rampant. And I never get started before Thanksgiving. The big tree will never go up until a week before Christmas. I do have standards.

Home is definitely the place to be for the holidays–even if only in your dreams.