Holi-daze

 I'm oddly well prepared for the holiday season this year. It helped that Chanukah and Christmas had a little space between them. It doesn't always work out that way. Sometimes I'm trying to enjoy my quiet reflective family focused time with candles while the world is throwing candy canes and reindeer antlers at me. 

It helped that we lost three days of school to snow days, but kept power and internet during those days so I still got stuff done. 

I seem to always fall into winter vacation as if from a great height, dropped and expected to hit the ground running, so this feels really good. Definitely makes me want to keep better control of the pace of my life so it can be like this more often. 

Isn't it odd how holidays become something we have to get "ready" for? Like a competition or a big test? Even a plan-ahead girl like me thinks that's a little crazy and wrong. 

In that vein, here's a Christmas sonnet I wrote a few years ago, when my husband and I were newly married and he was going full out gonzo trying to make sure my eldest had a great welcome into his family's traditions. 

On Christmas

 

I’m never sure which way to turn to sing

before the buzzing crowds of Christmas fans

or even if a song is best to bring

to greedy mouths and ever-grasping hands.

It overwhelms the senses, giddy yet

alarming, expansiveness abounding---

the brotherhood of credit cards and debt

the tinsel-wrapped carols resounding.

But when, at night, it gets quiet at last

and gifts are chosen, hidden till the day—

the mania, the shopping frenzy past—

I can hear it, humming my stress away.

There is a peace. I think it sounds like snow.

That peace. One gift I wish I could bestow.