Just Pondering: ‘Tis the season

By Allyson McCaw on November 30, 2021.

So it’s Christmas time again. I don’t know about you guys but to me it seems that our last Christmas was a million years ago!

So much has transpired over the past 12 months and it is like time was in slow motion. I feel like I actually lost a year somewhere. However, having said that I do feel a sense of the true meaning of Christmas this year. If COVID has taught us anything it is that family and friends are first and foremost now in our lives. The crazy, frantic shopping and running around like chickens with our heads cut off is not the norm this year. For hubby and I, we have said it is not the cost of the gifts, or how many that is important, but the simple fact that we can sit down together and just be.

I will admit, for me this is all great because I am truly very tight fisted when it comes to Christmas and this has become a bit of a family joke. To explain I will tell you that in the early years of our relationship, hubby had to endure my wish to have a real Christmas tree. However there was no way I was spending $75 on a nice real tree so the true meaning of a Charlie Brown tree was alive and not so well in our living room! I am actually very embarrassed now when I see pictures of those very sad, very bare branched evergreens, most with a huge hole on one side that we tried to cover with lights. Even the cat ignored them!

Finally, with much cajoling and foot stomping, he won out and we have an artificial tree. The other not-so-flattering trait of mine is looking for a bargain when I buy gifts. Yes, I am one of those people who will spend more money on gas just running around to every store in the country to save a few pennies.

I blame my dad.

He was famous for shopping at Sears (oh how I miss that store) for a new shirt and once finding one he loved, he would never buy it because it just might come on sale. Well we all know how that ends!

So as we head into the Noel season and get caught up in the festivities let’s all remember what last year looked like and give thanks that this year will be much more encouraging. Let’s drag out the tree ornaments and reminisce. I am so grateful each year that my hubby’s family are crafters extraordinaire and all our decorations are hand crafted by them with love. Such a precious gift. But my absolute favourite is one very small framed picture of our two sons acting goofy. Please give yourself a gift and take your most favourite picture from the billions you have on your phone, print it, put it in a little frame and hang it on your tree. Every year I have a hallmark moment when it comes out of the box and I melt. Something so incredibly simple but so powerful.

Let’s remember: cry, rejoice and be thankful. From my family to yours I wish everyone a very happy Holiday Season. Stay well.