It’s looking a lot like a short post.

Christmas isn’t about snowfall. When did that start anyway? Growing up in Southern California in the 60s & 70s I never, not even once, felt as if I was missing out because we didn’t have a white Christmas. The weather did not matter at all. Granted, if it rained we all hid inside. We didn’t wait and hope for snow. If we really wanted snow we drove to it. But unless the plan was skiing that didn’t make much sense. All we would do once we found the snow was shiver and head immediately to the nearest fireplace, or gas stove, whichever was closer.

Christmas isn’t about the presents. Never mind, that’s not true among the young or the middle-aged, or even the elderly. If it wasn’t about presents we would all be much happier when we see the January credit card bill. Christmas is definitely about the presents.

Christmas isn’t about the decorations. There I go again. Wrong once more! I admit it, I will be outside looking at the lights. My Christmas tree, beautifully decorated by my youngest, will be up all the way until January 6th. There will be a sad sigh when I take it down because the gray world of January looks so grim. My neighborhood is not, what you might call, photogenic in the winter unless you enjoy wild mustard and tumbleweeds.

Christmas isn’t about the food. There’s only things like: gingerbread houses, tins of cookies, candy canes, fudge, fresh baked bread, and what used to be my favorite, Terry’s Chocolate Oranges. Add in food from all the places I’ve lived and if I tried to have it all, it wouldn’t be my heart that was 2 sizes too small. There would be Baklava and Turkish Delight, Lebkuchen and Marzipan, Tamales and Polverones de Nuez, Pralines and Beignet, Kolachi and Pierogi, with Panettone and Cannoli, just to name the most memorable ones. But,just for me,those days are passed. It appears though that I am in the minority and Christmas is also most definitely about the food.

Christmas is still about family and friends. We just don’t generally pile into the sleigh to go to Grandma’s house anymore. Did we ever do that? It must have been a very long time ago. We put up with our once a year visit with our crazy relatives so we can see the sane ones. We remember all the traditions that are too easy to forget.We find our fancy Christmas clothing 2 sizes too small once again.We head home, our suitcases filled with more gifts than we brought.

So what is Christmas about really? It’s about all of it, except maybe the snow. We can’t control that and Hollywood didn’t even have real snow in all of their movies. The rest of it is up to us. It’s Christmas Eve. Enjoy yourselves and share the good cheer. I have some bread to make, some presents to wrap, a house to clean, and birds to bathe – probably not in that order. I wish you all a very good Christmas and all the best for the coming New Year. To those who don’t celebrate Christmas, I wish you a safe and wonderful holiday season. May the light grow in your lives and hearts as the days grow longer.