Tales of Christmas from Far and Wide.

This is how sometimes Christmas has played out for me over the years. Weather wise, Christmas this time has been the best. No snow, plenty of sun, and just enough cold to make one feel it's still the Christmas season. I made so much food that eventually I fell down in exhaustion and went to bed early. Next day, feeling fresh, I called India, where tales of all kinds abide in abundance. The latest one was of my aunt telling me how my dad's brother had gone quite mad; she said that he had made his wife the owner of all his property. Result - the wife promptly threw my uncle out and my uncle was effectively rendered homeless in one fell swoop. Now, nobody can wish him merry or happy Christmas. Still, no disrespect to my uncle, but I thought that it was a smart move, choosing a house over a husband.

I however made a different decision, albeit an early New Year's resolution that I will write one letter every year to no one in specific. This seems weird because just this year, I had chosen to stop sending greeting cards to all and sundry. The ones I’ve been receiving, have been dwindling with each passing year. Nonetheless this good feeling came from me putting up and lighting my Christmas tree, well in time. Most times it had been done when everyone was taking theirs down. I also managed to squeeze in some last minute shopping at 5 p.m. on Christmas Eve, just when the store closed and I stood pleading with L.L. Bean to let me in. I told them mayhem would result in my house if I did not get their famous slippers for my son. Anyway, not letting me in after the doors had closed on Christmas Eve - would not fly well with the spirit of Christmas. I was let in and let out in 5 minutes flat.

Anyway, in my home, until late in the afternoon, my younger one still hadn't opened his presents, so the older one decided to do the honor. He said ‘that’ was going to be exciting. Eventually two people opened one person’s presents amidst a lot of scuffles. Then on the other side of town, on Christmas day, my Mum's alarm decided to go off at 3 a.m. for no apparent reason. She of course doesn't know anything about alarms and what made them work; nobody does. She threw some shoes at it, then when it hung precariously by some wires, ran and woke up some neighbors. One of them just took the battery out. I told her to leave the alarm alone and come to my place for some good cheer. Thank God, the season is going to be spread out in my house for some more days because my husband’s presents haven’t arrived yet under the Christmas tree; they will after Christmas and perhaps New Year. Should I blame Santa? Thankfully my husband understands I mean well. After all, he’s not transferring the property to me. I am willing to share my presents with him. He can read one book while I read the other. That truly is the Christmas spirit.