Unusual Yuletide

Green grass covers the ground where a white blanket should lie. This Canadian winter is anything but a Canadian winter. Granted, I am still chilled to the bone most of the time, but these days reflect very little of the winter ones I used to know.

Christmas came and Christmas went. Even though the climate is changing, the motions of celebrating this festive season remain the same. The Saturday before Dad's birthday we trek out to choose and cut down our tree. Dad starts and ends the dressing of the tree. First, by stringing the lights and finally, by adding the touch of a home-made star on the top. The cut-out cardboard star, wrapped in aluminum foil is a tradition begun by my Grandpa and continued by our family every year. The rest of the ornaments are hung by my four year old nieces...the bottom half of the tree is well endowed. One branch bears two shiny globes, a ceramic angel, a wooden bell, and a little puppy on a string...which you can only see when you part the thick mass of tinsel thrown on by my two year old nephews. This Christmas tree wouldn't be featured in any magazine but it does reflect the the excitement and fascination of kids who are crazy about the holidays.

My youngest niece, Hayley, was the greatest gift under the tree. We did, we put her under the tree and watched her reaction. Eyes darting and limbs bursting from her body, it seemed she would explode from sensory overload. Hayley even starred as baby Jesus in a short movie. Having an infant around is a great visual for the rest of us. The reality of Christ's entrance in the world stares right back at us every time we hold and admire Hayley in our arms. Did the eyes of Jesus fixate on the stars above the stable and did his little arms flail with emotion at the sight of shepherds and sheep? I'm sure they did.

In a week, my mom will play her part in the whole Christmas tree saga: removal and disposal. In two weeks, I'll be back in Bolivia. This Christmas may have been unusual in it's lack of snow, but it was wonderful to be present. The greens grass didn't dampen the thrill of this grown-up kid who is still crazy about Christmas.