So This Is Christmas
Yesterday, I deleted a recurring event off my iCal, one that had been there for many years. "Sushi Day", gone. I've never been happier to delete a holiday, and also a tradition.
It served me well, for what it was: a small thing to look forward to, a special dinner out on a day when everybody else (except the scant few observant Jews I know) has grandiose plans involving friends, family, piles of presents, and a fancy homemade dinner.
But in many ways, this Christmas was my first Christmas, and I got to have just about everything that makes it awesome. For next year, hopefully, I'll make stockings to hang off the rat cage or the record player's shelf or a bookshelf, and set up a nativity scene with a variety of toys. And if I don't, that's okay too!
I made an Advent Wreath at my church just after the First Advent service. It came with a little booklet with suggestions of a short little ritual a family could do with their kids. So I did it, every Monday night (and one Tuesday), and then the final Christmas ritual between the grand Christmas traditions I'd been longing to participate in all my life: opening a mass of presents at once and eating a super-yummy dinner!
The Advent rituals were tolerated by Coyote and Tiger, but now that I have a base, I can make up ones that are more "us". I'm sure they'll naturally evolve over time, anyways. They got a kick out of playing with Legos and making snowflakes though, so I'll definitely keep activities like those in.
The point wasn't to like, bring Jesus into their lives. The point was to have some warm time together in the glow of Advent candles, and I think that was well worth the effort. The third and fourth Advents ended up being during Hanukkah, so we'd do the Advent ceremony, then I'd light the menorah and sing the traditional prayer and Hanukkah songs I know well. (I wanna memorize Adam Sandler's song for next year.) Then we'd pack a bowl and smoke our marijuanikah, just like Mr. Sandler suggests. I know that last part isn't an aspect of many of my friends' winter holidays, but a glass of wine or mead or other booze would be. You can pretend I said wine instead, it's okay.
For the Christmas Advent Wreath thingee, I lit the menorah again afterwards, too, so that there'd be a huge amount of candlelight. Then I took our Christmas pictures in the bright glow, and dear God, I hope a few of them come out! I'll probably look later today.
Before that, presents!!! It's true that I keep talking about presents as if me receiving a giant pile is the point. It's not. What made this holiday season stand out so boldly from others in the recent past is that I was able to actually buy and make and find a whole bunch of stuff for my menfolk! They collectively gave me a few things, but I didn't care, they were such thoughtful and awesome and so-just-for-me presents!
My haul: a Grumpy Cat stuffed animal (she's soft and awesome, she's a Gund!), a figurine/ornament of Hedwig from Harry Potter, and two graphic novels. The Age of License: a Travelogue by Lucy Knisley and The Essential Dykes to Watch Out For by Alison Bechdel. Read the whole Knisley book on Christmas Day, will start Bechdel's today probably. So happy!
Tiger's haul: a handbraided playcollar (finally), glasses to drink whiskey in while here, What Color is Your Parachute?, a Darth Vader watch for looking fancy while in a suit, a multitool that got some use its very first day.
Coyote's haul: a sandwich press, a crockpot, My Side of the Mountain, another book on Edward Curtis (the most famous photographer of Plains Natives), salmon jerky, silicone ice cube trays that will fit in our deer hide-stuffed freezer, Rhody Coyote cider, two bottles of alcoholic ginger beer, and a beaded bracelet in a Sioux design.
Mr Vandemar's (our rat's) haul: lots and lots of tissue paper, all from one gift at the Yankee Swap. He's rustling in some of it as we speak! And the lucky spoiled boy got pistachio nuts, too.
And then in the evening, dinner! Oh holy fuck, what an amazing meal! Coyote roasted a leg of lamb rubbed in garlic butter and roasted some tiny potatoes on the side. I fried white mushrooms and Forest Nameko mushrooms (Enoki-like) in butter and a bit of wine. Tiger made a cauliflower purée. It was all divine. We three are a mighty food-making force, with our powers combined!
And for dessert, Tiger had a fancy, light and fluffy Italian-import cake mostly to himself while Coyote and I gorged on warmed pieces of blueberry pie à la mode. AMAZING!
But best of all were the warm and happy feels of spending that day with the two people dearest to me in the entire world. This is the first year that I looked at other peoples' pictures of their Christmases and Hanukkahs with warmth in my heart, completely free of envy!
That's the real Christmas miracle.
Hope you had a lovely winter holiday as well, whatever you celebrate. <3
It served me well, for what it was: a small thing to look forward to, a special dinner out on a day when everybody else (except the scant few observant Jews I know) has grandiose plans involving friends, family, piles of presents, and a fancy homemade dinner.
But in many ways, this Christmas was my first Christmas, and I got to have just about everything that makes it awesome. For next year, hopefully, I'll make stockings to hang off the rat cage or the record player's shelf or a bookshelf, and set up a nativity scene with a variety of toys. And if I don't, that's okay too!
I made an Advent Wreath at my church just after the First Advent service. It came with a little booklet with suggestions of a short little ritual a family could do with their kids. So I did it, every Monday night (and one Tuesday), and then the final Christmas ritual between the grand Christmas traditions I'd been longing to participate in all my life: opening a mass of presents at once and eating a super-yummy dinner!
The Advent rituals were tolerated by Coyote and Tiger, but now that I have a base, I can make up ones that are more "us". I'm sure they'll naturally evolve over time, anyways. They got a kick out of playing with Legos and making snowflakes though, so I'll definitely keep activities like those in.
The point wasn't to like, bring Jesus into their lives. The point was to have some warm time together in the glow of Advent candles, and I think that was well worth the effort. The third and fourth Advents ended up being during Hanukkah, so we'd do the Advent ceremony, then I'd light the menorah and sing the traditional prayer and Hanukkah songs I know well. (I wanna memorize Adam Sandler's song for next year.) Then we'd pack a bowl and smoke our marijuanikah, just like Mr. Sandler suggests. I know that last part isn't an aspect of many of my friends' winter holidays, but a glass of wine or mead or other booze would be. You can pretend I said wine instead, it's okay.
For the Christmas Advent Wreath thingee, I lit the menorah again afterwards, too, so that there'd be a huge amount of candlelight. Then I took our Christmas pictures in the bright glow, and dear God, I hope a few of them come out! I'll probably look later today.
Before that, presents!!! It's true that I keep talking about presents as if me receiving a giant pile is the point. It's not. What made this holiday season stand out so boldly from others in the recent past is that I was able to actually buy and make and find a whole bunch of stuff for my menfolk! They collectively gave me a few things, but I didn't care, they were such thoughtful and awesome and so-just-for-me presents!
My haul: a Grumpy Cat stuffed animal (she's soft and awesome, she's a Gund!), a figurine/ornament of Hedwig from Harry Potter, and two graphic novels. The Age of License: a Travelogue by Lucy Knisley and The Essential Dykes to Watch Out For by Alison Bechdel. Read the whole Knisley book on Christmas Day, will start Bechdel's today probably. So happy!
Tiger's haul: a handbraided playcollar (finally), glasses to drink whiskey in while here, What Color is Your Parachute?, a Darth Vader watch for looking fancy while in a suit, a multitool that got some use its very first day.
Coyote's haul: a sandwich press, a crockpot, My Side of the Mountain, another book on Edward Curtis (the most famous photographer of Plains Natives), salmon jerky, silicone ice cube trays that will fit in our deer hide-stuffed freezer, Rhody Coyote cider, two bottles of alcoholic ginger beer, and a beaded bracelet in a Sioux design.
Mr Vandemar's (our rat's) haul: lots and lots of tissue paper, all from one gift at the Yankee Swap. He's rustling in some of it as we speak! And the lucky spoiled boy got pistachio nuts, too.
And then in the evening, dinner! Oh holy fuck, what an amazing meal! Coyote roasted a leg of lamb rubbed in garlic butter and roasted some tiny potatoes on the side. I fried white mushrooms and Forest Nameko mushrooms (Enoki-like) in butter and a bit of wine. Tiger made a cauliflower purée. It was all divine. We three are a mighty food-making force, with our powers combined!
And for dessert, Tiger had a fancy, light and fluffy Italian-import cake mostly to himself while Coyote and I gorged on warmed pieces of blueberry pie à la mode. AMAZING!
But best of all were the warm and happy feels of spending that day with the two people dearest to me in the entire world. This is the first year that I looked at other peoples' pictures of their Christmases and Hanukkahs with warmth in my heart, completely free of envy!
That's the real Christmas miracle.
Hope you had a lovely winter holiday as well, whatever you celebrate. <3