Christmas 2020

Merry Christmas everyone. This year has been different for everyone. We all hoped we would be back to normal and be able to celebrate with our loved ones. That is not the case.

My family will be split. My boys will not be able to see their grandparents and they won’t see them. The rents are worried about the boys being in the crowds with their work and being exposed. They are vulnerable and it is understandable.

My parents brought over their gifts for the boys and gifts for me and we did our gift exchange. We watched a few Christmas movies socially distanced with masks on and had a nice time. But that is the world we live it for now. No hugs were exchange.

In other strange events, with the broken ankle, I cannot take the helm of being the chef in the kitchen and need to surrender my powers of control to the boys. They do not want a traditional Christmas dinner, which is okay with me. They want chicken cutlets, bowtie pasta with Alfredo sauce, and mashed potatoes with gravy. They are going to prepare it themselves. They bought it themselves as well. Win-win for me.

This is the second Christmas I have woken up alone in my house. It is still a different feeling. Quiet. Long gone are the days of children whispering at foot of the bed with excitement to open presents. Long gone are the days of watching lots of gifts under the tree unwrapped in excitement. Long gone are are the days of sitting on the floor. Could I even get up off the floor? They were fun days and I cherish them, but I like what I have now.

I love our simple Christmas.

These days we keep things simple. One gift per person. A nice gift, thought out for each person. Nothing too expensive. Just a nice gift.

Typically we do a turkey dinner. Early. My parents don’t like to eat late; my boys hate it but they do it because their grandparents want to do it. Tonight they purposefully said, “Can we please eat at five like normal people?” I laughed.

I expect my morning will be quiet like this from now on for the rest of my life. The new norm. I don’t mind it. It’s nice. I have time to think. Lots of time if I continue to get up at three in the morning like I did today. (I got through the Christmas season without the turbo charge of mania, mostly.) But I spent that time wisely.

I watched midnight mass. A mass I haven’t been able to attend since I was twenty. I also watched the Pope give his homily. It really started the morning with a message of hope for the day. A song of brightness.

Even though I’m alone in this house, I don’t feel alone. I rarely ever feel alone. I am the best company I keep. I feel even better surrounded by warmth and companionship this Christmas morning.

Merry Christmas to you all. I hope you spend it with those you love and can be with in this crazy pandemic of a year. Be safe.