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Christmas Almost Cancelled

I've had Christmases when I was pregnant (twice) and ordered all gifts by mail order.  I've had Christmases when I was recovering from surgery (twice), but still managed to decorate and send cards.  But last year, it just wasn't coming together.  Having had shingles for several months prior to Christmas, then a large crowd at Thanksgiving followed by being gone from Dec. 8 until Christmas Eve, I announced that I was canceling Christmas.  My grandchildren looked like I had lost my mind.

For the first time ever, other than Hallmark ornaments for the grandkids and some old home videos that I'd converted to DVD's for our daughters, I bought nothing.  I did not send out one Christmas card. I jokingly announced to the neighbors I was removing myself from the neighborhood decorating competition.

I even announced to our siblings, nieces, nephews and daughters' in-laws that there would be no packages in the mail and we didn't want any either. I didn't want my neighbors to have to constantly be worrying about what was on our front porch (mail can be held, but FedEx still delivers)

Instead we would be donating the money to charity and wanted our siblings to do the same for us.  For our siblings, we bought sleeping bags and pads for the homeless that a friend was distributing before Christmas.  I tagged them in the photos so they could see what we bought.  For our nieces, nephews and in-laws, we purchased items from the Alternative Christmas.  I then wrote each a card letting them know what was purchased in their honor.

On our travels, I thought what do I really need for Christmas (other than visiting family)?  I need a creche (I found a little wind up one), a lit tree, (about 4 ft tall no decorations) a ham dinner with Sister Schubert rolls, pie and ice cream.  But most important, I need to go to St. Mark Presbyterian Church on Christmas Eve.

We started to leave Dec. 22 when I suddenly became ill.  So, Christmas Eve, when I was feeling better, we got up early and left Dallas before 5 AM.  After driving for 10 hours, I went to the grocery (getting the ham, rolls, pie), fixed dinner, got cleaned up and made it to Christmas Eve worship.  As I sat down in the pew with Sue Snyder on one side, Gwen Welch on the other, Nancy Sutch across the aisle and the Webers in front of me, I began to cry---I had made it surrounded by some of my St. Mark Family.  I was satisfied that I had what was important for Christmas---a Simple Christmas not a Cancelled Christmas after all.

Psalm 119: 169-176

Jaclyn Morgan