Mondays–V3E46–Twas the Day After Christmas

Twas the day after Christmas and all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse. The stockings are still hung on the bookcase with care in hopes that the cleaning lady soon would be there.

It’s over. I’m sad, I’m happy, I’m tired. That’s how I feel this day after Christmas. I feel the same every year. The entire month of December is dedicated to Christmas day, when all my family will be gathered together in my little, cramped living room opening presents, one by one, youngest to oldest, from six to sixty and seventy and beyond.

I’m not one of those parents that can give one gift. No, not me. I have to have three or four for every person. I generally don’t wrap until a couple days before so I won’t forget what I bought. This year to could get a jump on wrapping, I resorted to a clipboard with a spreadsheet and I numbered the gifts as I wrapped them so I would know what was in them after they were wrapped. But as the presents were being opened, there were some that I’d still managed to forget what they were. I don’t think the Great Hunter had ever wrapped a present until about five years ago when I told him he had to wrap his granddaughter’s presents himself. His four to my forty. I think that’s a fair swap and when I look at the crooked, crinkled paper,I remind myself that it’s the thought that counts.

Am I wound just a little too tight? Maybe (wink, wink). After the food is gone and the presents are opened and all my kids and grandkids have gone home, I sit and think, “is it really over?”

The Great Hunter and I enjoyed some of the best of the season this year. We took the Candlelight Christmas tour at the Daniel Boone Home, the Boars Head Festival at the Immanuel Lutheran church, the Ambassadors of Harmony (a one hundred-voice men’s acapella choir), Harry Connick Jr.’s Christmas show,

Christmas parties with my quilt guild my book club, and the choir Christmas program at church. Can you see me? In the middle row, in the middle!

I shopped early (and often, thank you Amazon) and I got my tree up much sooner than usual and getting a jump on the decorations inside and out, gave me extra time to really enjoy the season.

Maybe that is why the day after I crash and burn. I’ve spent the entire day sitting in my recliner, watching movies and dozing. It felt so good to know there wasn’t something I should be planning, doing or preparing.

The Great Hunter doesn’t participate much, he goes where I ask him to go and he buys and wraps for me and his granddaughter, but that’s about the extent of his Christmas contributions. He’s more focused on the next hunting trip at the end of the week. That’s how he will celebrate the New Year.