'TWAS THE WEEK AFTER CHRISTMAS

I feel like I can settle down to just living again and enjoying my gifts and memories of a very happy Christmas to which you added a great deal. – Ina, January 1938

Christmas Day has come and gone, but of course, the annual cycle begins again, so we have a lot of fun in store. “Already planning for next Christmas,” says Ina.

Winter is upon us now – 20 degrees and snowing, but since I’ve no place to go and my family is safely in their rightful places, I don’t really care. We need the snowpack in the mountains.

I look forward to the week between Christmas and New Year’s as a fun time of doing all those things I didn’t get done before Christmas – baking, sewing, or nothing much at all. I’ll gradually put away Christmas decorations but leave out wintry things that brighten the dark days.

Seems like I do less holiday baking every year, and yet, without the shortbread and spritz cookies my mother made and frosted cookies (my favorite), the list of goodies just doesn’t seem right. I’m a reasonably good cook, but – well, I’d just rather not put my time into lengthy cookie decoration. It’s another way in which I identify with my Grandma Ina.

I didn’t mind the lack of holiday goodies until we decided at the last minute to host a family holiday gathering, but no one seemed to notice or care that certain holiday fare was missing from the offerings. We had lunch (notice I don’t call it a luncheon), and then quietly visited for an hour or so. “You see,” said Mike later, “you don’t need a lot of stuff to have a pleasant gathering.”

I was disappointed to miss little Silas’ first Christmas, but Hallie said, “It’s okay; so did he.” I guess he pretty much slept the day away. Perhaps we’ll have his first Christmas next year. Finishing his stocking is on my “to do” list. KW