Ho.

We have no lights up. We have no tree, yet.

We look like lonely Jehovah Witnesses, lonely because we aren’t Witnesses, so we’re not inside hanging out with Witness friends, enjoying some specific biblical interpretation that keeps us satisfied with the plain state of our house and front yard. We’re just doing a lousy Witness impression.

Nor, by the way, do we do the Christian “Jesus is the reason for the season” thing. I have nothing against that approach, but it has never rung my bells.

My sister-in-law, who is Muslim, has her house decorated for Christmas already.

So we’re behind, is my point.

We agreed to no presents this year, in an attempt to skip the unfestive mall experience. So I’ve got to get going, or Christmas is going to be like any other winter Friday. Which it isn’t.

Here are our plans.

My lovely man will get us a tree. I’ll put red ribbons all over it.

I’ll talk with each of my kids on Christmas. They’re both away from home for the first time ever. I’ll miss them, but I LOVE them for creating their own adventures.

I’ll sing my brains out all day. O Come All Ye Faithful, doing the melody, then the harmony, hearing it all together in my head.

We’ll eat a beautiful breakfast, walk some wonderful trails in the afternoon, and make a festive dinner (we’re only now deciding whether we’re vegan, vegetarian, or total carnivores this year. I think veganism is winning. Looks like Portabello mushrooms with chestnut stuffing, and turnips and potatoes made the way my gran made them. Funny that turnips make it Christmas. Funny that Christmas is the only day of the year we eat turnip.)

I’ll spend some time thinking about the people I love who are screaming around the country with their kids in order to see every sibling, parent, and in-law. Some happily, some not so happily. Hohoho.

I’ll think about people I love who are spending the holiday alone, some happily and some not so happily. Lovelovelove.

I’ll think (I can’t help it with our unlit house) of those who don’t do Christmas at all, some happily (happy Witnesses, for example) and some not so happily.

Yeah for religious diversity or just secularjoysecularjoy.

I hope, in the end, that we each do some small, turnippy thing that reminds us during this time to love ourselves and each other, and the ones like my gran who’ve gone on.

Peacepeacepeace to you. And thanks for the conversation,

kristin