It’s officially here, that magical time between Thanksgiving and Christmas. The lights are slowly making their way around roof trimmings and the smell of pine sits in the air just as the sun sets (it’s true, there are pockets of LA where this happens!). Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, or Kwanzaa, this time brings us back to the people and traditions we hold close, much needed reminders that we’re loved, we belong.
Some of my favorite memories growing up are the gift exchanges around the holidays. Dot and I have a very large family so our Christmas gatherings were filled with gifts and gifts for everyone. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve grown more partial to less is more and making buying choices informed by the quality of the gift rather than how many I can stuff under the tree. What has remained constant is the pulling out of tape and scissors, the carefully chosen gift wrap; whether that’s wrapping 20 gifts or 2, I’ll never tire of the little exchange that happens between the giver and the recipient as thoughtfulness binds them together.
Through this December, I hope we bask in this time of giving not just things, but of ourselves and our time - yes to the extra glass of wine around the table, yes to the conversations that stretch into the night. In the communal sipping and sharing, we experience the holiday season in its fullness, creating memories that last far beyond the moment we live them.
to being merry,pat
