Gathering Warmth This Christmas
My life is filled with memories of Christmastime over the years. From the aluminum tree with its color wheel to the oversized real tree that looked square after I trimmed enough to fit it through the door, each memory shines brightly. There’s the unmistakeable magic brought to life by small children who believe in all things Santa Claus - right up until the day they ask why Santa has scotch tape under his mustache.
Today, as I marvel at how we’ve come to have so many grandchildren in our lives, I still recognize that magic. But more importantly, I see the deeper spirit it has taken on.
These days, the magic for me comes in the form of the food I’m able to share, the gatherings I’m lucky to be part of, and the stories we tell about so many Christmases that have brought us to where we are. Memories of ribbon candy, crystal condiment dishes brought out only for the holidays, a gift-wrapped bottle of Seagram’s at the center of the table, Spanish peanuts, and oranges or tangerines with their leaves still attached. We never asked for much, and whatever we found under the tree always felt like more than enough.
“Christmas is a bridge. We need bridges as the river of time flows past. Today’s Christmas should mean creating happy hours for tomorrow and reliving those of yesterday.”
Gladys Taber
Christmas has always been my favorite time of year. Even as the years pile up, I still gather the warmth that has filled my heart so many times before. Even in those not-so-perfect moments, the holiday delivers magic in the form of connections and universal well wishes that seem to escape no one. It makes me wish that feeling came in a bottle, with cases stored away for use throughout the year.
Food and friends, close family and distant relatives, and memories that keep us connected—all made possible by traditions that planted the seeds of these cherished moments. I’ll take a handful of peanuts, sneak in an extra handful of olives, pass on the ribbon candy and the whiskey, and sit around laughing at as many stories as I can remember. These are the gifts that make up my holidays now.
“When we remember a special Christmas, it is not the presents that made it special, but the laughter, the feeling of love, and the togetherness of friends and family that made that Christmas.”
Catherine Pulsifer
Like all the other Christmases throughout the years, I will hold onto this one for as long as I can. The magic will come in remembering the faces of those who no longer share in our physical world. But the food, the family, and the friends will carry on the spirit of what they gave us. These heartfelt moments, where the gathering of warmth becomes the greatest gift, and what I hold most dear.
Talk soon…
G