12.20.07

A Time of Celebration

Posted in Musings, Christmas at 4:33 am by Administrator

There is something to like about tradition. This year, I will make Stollen, something that was always an annual endeavor of my late mother, and her mother before her. Stollen is an Austrian sweet bread, made with yeast, and it has candied pineapple, candied cherries, and citron. When all is said and done, it is drizzled with white icing to make the most delectable treat on the planet. I can gain five pounds, just looking at the tasty bread. The recipe makes two loaves, enough to satisfy any sweet cravings for awhile.

Having a Christmas tree is another family tradition. One year, we had no tree, by choice. That was a very dismal holiday season, indeed. I find that I enjoy the bright lights. They are cheerful and they warm my heart from the outside in. I also enjoy re-visiting the ornaments each year, and remembering how I acquired each and every one of them.

When I think of Christmas, I can’t help but remember my favorite songs. Some of them are not all that old. Indeed, some were written within my lifetime. One that tops the list is “Christmas in the Trenches,” based on an actual historical war event (WWI) when for a few hours a truce was called and soldiers from both sides shared songs, cigarettes, and photos from home. After hearing the poignant song on a public broadcasting radio station, I looked for it for ages and finally found it on an album CD called, “Winter Solstice,” by composer, John McCutcheon.

I feel inexplicably happy this Christmas time. I suppose one should not spend a lot of effort in reasoning why one is feeling good. After all, you wouldn’t want to put a hex on it. There is just a pervasive sense of hope right now. With coming political elections in the new year, all Americans are on the brink of change. A strong feeling exists that life, as we know it, will improve very soon.

Traditions provide an order to our lives. They provide a sense of continuity for children, and they also provide a way to regulate our daily lives within the ever more lengthy holiday season. Forget the twelve days of Christmas of the song! Today, Christmas stretches from October to January.

Whichever ways you choose to spend the holidays, I hope that you’ll reserve some quality time to be with family. As I look through photograph albums, sometimes I see myself in pictures and realize that I am the only one still living of the people portrayed there.

Life is fleeting, as I know only too well. We can never take others for granted. We pass this way once, and will never be here again. So, we make the most of every minute, as we should, and maximize the joy. Christmas and Hannukah are both times for family, and for celebration. Enjoy!

Patricia Cummings

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