This year I was going to grinch out on Christmas. I have a home office where my tree usually goes. I can't really take the time to unpack and repack the hoards of christmas decorations that usually go up when I'm in the midst of sorting, purging and simplifying the contents of the house for a spring sale. Nonexistent freelance work means a radically different approach to presents (making, not buying) this year. etcetera. etcetera. etcetera....
and then...
The time came for an annual Danish holiday luncheon I started with a dear college friend and her "Year Abroad in Denmark" cohort. It's one thing to volunteer to bring the shrimp salad, and makings for various other traditional sandwiches. It's quite anoher to blithely respond to an email inquiry "what about cookies? should we have cookies? with an "I think I have time to make some."
Growing up, the house had the warmth of Mrs. Claus's kitchen for all of December (and most of November). Turning up the heat and lighting a few gingerbread candles works wonders for some instant ambience. But nothing warms a house to the bones like tray after tray of vanilla, ginger and chocolate cookies coming out of the oven. Apparently, you can't make cookies in December without music, and if there's one thing I have, it's holiday music. iTunes tells me I could go 40 hours and 34 minutes without a repeat (though i'd have to listen to all 18 versions of O Holy Night, The Christmas Song, White Christmas & Silent Night along the way). So with the baking, I tried all the usual go-to tracks: Barbra, Burl & Bing didn't inspire any singalongs in the kitchen. Dean, Sammy & Frank? Pass the martini, and pass on the feliz in my navidad.
Wouldn't you know; somewhere between Straight No Chaser's version of The 12 Days of Christmas and a polka about Santa, I started finding my spirit. I guess this year's holiday message is "when tradition fails, go for witty comedy and an accordian"
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