Merry Christmas! I too have scaled down the boxes the decorations. I love your shower curtain display! I have one the same -tree with bells! Oh yes- and the grief... ! The simple things for sure. I watched Miracle on 34th today while wrapping presents. Be well my substack buddy!
Your posts always make me feel good—so thank you, Jan! This one is particularly important given the "consumerism" built into this holiday. I have too many Christmas movies that I cherish to pick just one, but Miracle on 34th Street is right up there!
The best of holidays and much good fortune in 2024 to you and Tom!
Oh Love Actually is good!! And do you mean the holiday where they switch houses? That one is kind of fun except I’m not so sure about Jack Black. You’re definitely a romantic.😊 Happy Holidays!
Yes it’s the small things, always.. I like the idea of decorations on the shower curtain and making it festive in spite of some work in progress. Merry Christmas, Jan!
Merry Christmas. The ornaments on the shower curtain are particularly clever.
We have two big celebrations coming up in our home that are our annual traditions and involve family and friends. On Christmas Day we will be following an ancient Jewish tradition. Going out to see a movie and have Chinese food.
ah, kittens! yes, truly a sense of wonder. It's not easy to capture that as an adult, but I think it's worth trying. Merry Christmas, Mark. Love to your sisters as well.
I've always loved this line. Do you know the poem? Death of a Hired Hand. A man who has no home but where he has worked. It's sad. But then, it's also not.
Yes, it's Death of a Hired Man. I agree that it is bittersweet. I wrote a short story about a critically injured man I found on the road one dark night in Africa. I could do nothing for him, except stay with him until he breathed his last breath. Being there with him was something and it was something that I could do.
I love your writing. It gives me a warm feeling just like the title and the tone is very comforting like returning home. I did have a nice holiday thank you and I look forward to reading your posts this year.
Merry Christmas! I too have scaled down the boxes the decorations. I love your shower curtain display! I have one the same -tree with bells! Oh yes- and the grief... ! The simple things for sure. I watched Miracle on 34th today while wrapping presents. Be well my substack buddy!
Thank you Susan! Hope you put something dun in your bathroom too!
Your posts always make me feel good—so thank you, Jan! This one is particularly important given the "consumerism" built into this holiday. I have too many Christmas movies that I cherish to pick just one, but Miracle on 34th Street is right up there!
The best of holidays and much good fortune in 2024 to you and Tom!
Thank you Joan!
Yes, I always love when they bring up commercialism in Miracle on 34th St. Obviously it’s been going on a long time!
My favorites are Love Actually and The Holiday!
Oh Love Actually is good!! And do you mean the holiday where they switch houses? That one is kind of fun except I’m not so sure about Jack Black. You’re definitely a romantic.😊 Happy Holidays!
Yes it’s the small things, always.. I like the idea of decorations on the shower curtain and making it festive in spite of some work in progress. Merry Christmas, Jan!
Thank you, Eleonore! Same to you!
Merry Christmas. The ornaments on the shower curtain are particularly clever.
We have two big celebrations coming up in our home that are our annual traditions and involve family and friends. On Christmas Day we will be following an ancient Jewish tradition. Going out to see a movie and have Chinese food.
YES!!! Love the Christmas Day tradition! Enjoy! Happy Holidays, Alice.
I have often had that very thought about young persons and kittens:
Everything in the world is new and wonderful to them.
We adults could learn much from them.
ah, kittens! yes, truly a sense of wonder. It's not easy to capture that as an adult, but I think it's worth trying. Merry Christmas, Mark. Love to your sisters as well.
Really, we never grow old until we lose our sense of wonder. Until then, the body may age but it doesn’t grow old.
Merry Christmas from one central Idaho mountain valley to another.
Beautifully said!!! Sadly, many of us grow old too young.
Thank you for this thought. Wishing you a wonder-filled Christmas!
“Home is the place where, when you have to go there,
They have to take you in.” - Robert Frost
I've always loved this line. Do you know the poem? Death of a Hired Hand. A man who has no home but where he has worked. It's sad. But then, it's also not.
Yes, it's Death of a Hired Man. I agree that it is bittersweet. I wrote a short story about a critically injured man I found on the road one dark night in Africa. I could do nothing for him, except stay with him until he breathed his last breath. Being there with him was something and it was something that I could do.
Bearing witness to another’s life, and death- truly being present- is perhaps the most profound act of love.
Hope you had a nice holiday! What a great post to end the year with and reminds us all of those warm childhood memories. Happy New Year!
Thanks! I'm glad it brought back good memories! Hope you had a wonderful holiday season as well! Best, Jan
I love your writing. It gives me a warm feeling just like the title and the tone is very comforting like returning home. I did have a nice holiday thank you and I look forward to reading your posts this year.
Oh thank you! That is so nice of you to say, and equally nice to hear!