Merry Christmas Eve from under my fuzzy lime green blanket on the couch. As I write this, I’m listening to The Pogues’ classic song “Fairytale of New York,” drinking my first Diet Coke of the day, trying to see if Molly can hold out on a trip outside until the temperature reaches double digits Fahrenheit (signs point to yes, as she’s currently sleeping on the other half of the blanket) and waiting for my sister, her spouse, and their dogs to wake up so I can figure out what they want from a Dunkin run.
On holidays, I often look for Connie Schultz’s Twitter greetings. In addition to being a wonderful writer and columnist and Senator Sherrod Brown’s better half, she has a little tradition I love on holidays. She’ll post a photo and a short tweet, with the first sentence being a standard holiday greeting. The second line is always “To those who are struggling, may the day land gently.” (Most recent example here.)
I’m feeling pretty lucky this Christmas Eve, even though my dog is probably questioning my sanity for moving us to a colder place than our old stomping grounds in Maryland. The longest drive I’ll have to make this season is 45 minutes - quite the shift from a couple of recent Christmases involving driving up and down I-95 with Molly in the backseat. I get to see all my family and some friends, and I even get to host a couple of them in my new home. And so far, the dream I uprooted myself to achieve is going according to plan.
And yet, I know not everyone is so lucky. The cold I’m complaining about from my cozy blanket and general winter weather are keeping some families apart, and others have faced horrible losses from COVID and other issues over the past few years. I’m thinking of you all today and tomorrow.
I hope that even if you aren’t having the Christmas you’d like to be or spending it with the people you’d like, you’re able to find a bit of joy and contentment in the weekend. Whether that’s extra time with the loved ones you are able to be with, a holiday tradition you enjoy, or just a warm drink and a little respite from the cold. As Connie Schultz would say, I hope the day lands gently.
This morning I read a beautiful story in the New York Times (that’s a gift link, so you can read even without a subscription) about a woman who lost her husband to suicide a few months before Christmas 2007 and found that someone surprised her and her two young sons with gifts at their door every day for 12 days straight. The love of someone who cared deeply for the author and her sons sustained them through a difficult holiday season.
Perhaps there’s someone in your life or even a stranger who needs a little extra love today, tomorrow, or in general. Perhaps there’s something you could do for them. I’ve faced my own hard times, at Christmas and other times of the year, and pulled through with care and generosity from the people who love me, and I can only hope to be as good and generous in return. This is a good time of year (as is any time, really) to think about how to do that.
No matter how you spend it, Merry Christmas to all who celebrate!