Spirit, Move Me!

Written December 26, 2012

When I was a lot younger, the days and weeks before Christmas were filled with a frenetic burst of energy – for shopping, baking, wrapping, decorating, cleaning, cooking, letter writing...and more. Nowadays, the spirit has to move me before I do anything remotely connected to those previously enjoyed activities.

Last week I did bake cinnamon rolls – well I had to – to go with the chili I planned for Saturday evening supper. Ah, left-over rolls will be fine for Christmas – no need to bake any more for Christmas morning. What, no cinnamon ring with cherries and nuts on top of the frosting? NO. Spirit didn’t move me.

Presents? What are those? We do not need one more ‘thing’ in this house! Besides, we got a new refrigerator after Thanksgiving and a new microwave a week later (OK – so the 36 yr old microwave gave up the ghost, and the 26 yr old refrigerator did the same). Those were just early presents, right? And so Santa came early with a new dress coat and several shirts for Vern – mail order comes when it comes, not necessarily on Christmas Eve. And so Vern got a new jacket, pants, shirt and tie early – OK, he had to have something to wear to church in Sioux Center after we left the Sunday clothes hanging in the closet at home. More presents needed? NO!

And office staff? Love my co-workers but I do not need one more Tchotchke in my house! A box of Lipton teabags from one co-worker for my birthday? Now that is the best present she can give me! Last year I tried to disengage from the Christmas giving in the office but did not get the job done – but did accomplish that this year. Instead, the money I would have spent on gifts went to the Open Door Mission, Crossroads, a Giving Tree for seniors, and the Joy Offering at church. OK, so my own children did get checks...and they could buy what was needed for the little ones. Athena thanked us for the new sheets for her new bed.

I hate shopping! Yes, I went to Wal-Mart on my way home from work on Friday and thought maybe...but, the Spirit did NOT move me. I waltzed out of that store into the melting mess in the parking lot with nary a purchased item in my hand!

And Christmas decorations? If they get put up, they just have to be put away. OK...I procrastinated and procrastinated and procrastinated. Finally on Christmas Eve morning somebody (NOT ME) went downstairs and brought up the very tiny tree that we have and set it up on the lamp table in front of the window. But guess who had to go find the ornaments for that tree – among the mess of boxes in the storage area that were still in disarray after a sewer disaster last year. OK, I found them and brought them upstairs...and that is as far as *I* went. It was up to somebody else to decorate the tree – and yes, it looks very sweet and festive in our front window – not quite so Scroogie!

And baking! Was I going to do any more? OK...we had a package of raw peanuts in the ‘horse’. On Monday morning before Christmas I did make the famous peanut brittle – used the recipe on the package...but it still is just as fabulous as ever. It is a little smaller batch. Perhaps the husband will not keel over in a diabetic coma if I can keep it out of sight. And yes, I did find a new recipe for gingerbread – so a small batch was made on Monday. BUT...the spirit still has not moved me to frost the darn things.

And cooking...OK, a turkey breast, fresh sweet potatoes, canned corn, some stuffing, canned cranberry sauce (Spirit didn’t move me to make my own...left-overs from last Thanksgiving had to do), and a bought pecan pie. No, we are not going to over-do it. Not for two people. And yes, we have some very nice left-overs for several meals of turkey sandwiches, turkey soup, turkey hash...whatever we can make from left-over turkey. The smells of Chex Mix are now wafting through the house – the Spirit did move me once again.

A long time ago I was somewhat upset with my mother for not doing anything for Christmas. She didn’t put out any decorations or put up a tree. I think I found a recipe for Gingerbread Men – the last one she used and the last time she made them, probably early to mid 70s. I don’t know if she was even 70 at the time. I did not understand what was going on – why she did not continue the giving traditions that had been such a part of her life. I think I remember her saying ‘the spirit didn’t move me’. Hmmmm...like mother, like daughter?

As I grow older, I don’t see the point – if I cook/bake it I have to eat it – and my hips are far too wide now (secretary’s spread). If I don’t want to eat it and give it away, I have to deliver it – and at this time of the year with the ice and snow that can be treacherous – I don’t need a broken leg or hip; we’ve had enough of that with Vern. If I put up the decorations, I have to take them down and put them away – too much work.

So I will just go on my merry way, waiting for the spirit to move me. Oh, by the way, the spirit did move me fairly early to ‘write’ the annual Christmas letter – but the spirit still has not moved me to get the address list out, print the letters, and get them mailed. Maybe this week? Before New Year? Maybe just posting it on Facebook will suffice for 2012! Nah, the Spirit will eventually move me!