dual personalities

‘Tis the season when we all need to take a chill pill and go easy on people. Everyone is stressed out. My DP had some good holiday advice a few days ago and here are a few more things to keep in mind.

First of all, try not to think of all this yuletide preparation as a burden. If it is a burden, you have put it on yourself. Personally, I love getting ready for Christmas, especially the unpacking of the ornaments and decorations, the new and the old. For me, it is a gradual process. There are no deadlines. If something doesn’t get put up this year, so be it. No one will care or (probably) notice. And it will all be lovely.

If no one invites you to a party, have your own. We don’t have a lot of friends, but those we have will all be coming over to our house on the Saturday before Christmas, and I’m sure they are happy about that. We can get dressed up and twist the night away…at least until 8:30 p.m. when we all turn into pumpkins!

Put money in the Salvation Army red kettle every time you see one! Have your cash ready. Don’t view those bell-ringing Santas as an annoyance. The money goes to a good cause.

Watch some Christmas movies! For me at least, it just wouldn’t be Christmas without The Bishop’s Wife (1947) and White Christmas (1954) and 3 Godfathers (1947)! Unimaginable. If Danny Kaye can’t put you in the holiday spirit, no one can.

Go to church–at least once! Remember that Jesus really is the reason for the season. The rest is all hype and advertising. We are celebrating with a Festival of Lessons and Carols at our church this Sunday evening. Check and see if there is a similar service in your neighborhood. If you can’t actually attend one, listen to the King’s College, Cambridge service which is broadcast live on BBC Radio 4 on December 24. The service is also broadcast on Christmas Day, and at various times on the BBC World Service.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

² The same was in the beginning with God.

³ All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

⁴ In him was life; and the life was the light of men.

⁵ And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

⁶ There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.

⁷ The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.

⁸ He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.

⁹ That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.

¹⁰ He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.

¹¹ He came unto his own, and his own received him not.

¹² But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

¹³ Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

¹⁴ And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

(John 1: 1-14, KJV)

Have a good weekend! The wee babes (and their parents) have been sick this week. We’ll see them on Saturday when we go to their mom’s graduation–she’s getting her EdD!

*Tom Petty

P.S. I  had to include this photo which was posted on Facebook by my friend Carla. It is a Christmas greeting from Christ the Redeemer Church in Pelham, NY where her son is a seminarian intern (3rd from left). Episcopalians know how to amuse themselves.