I think we can all agree that this past holiday season was very different from what we are all used to, with the canceling of Christmas concerts and shows, family celebrations, and so many other highlights of the season. First things first, I am not complaining. This past Christmas was actually pretty magical, and one of my favorite seasons in recent years. Fortunately, I was able to “quarantine” for the two weeks leading up to Christmas since my school went on full distance-learning. This change enabled me to spend time with my parents who live just one street over from me. We formed our own little family Christmas pod.
Over my two-week reprieve from having to drive to San Diego to teach, my Mom and I were able to keep many of our family traditions alive. One evening we watched the stream of a concert we had planned to attend in person and made the evening special by ordering a takeout dinner from the restaurant where we would have dined. And then there were all those Hallmark movie nights complete with homemade hot chocolate. One Saturday, we decorated gingerbread houses. I made a doghouse, naturally because of my love of dogs, and my Mom decorated a house. I think they turned out pretty good!
One thing that I really enjoyed about the month of December was how calm it felt. Yes, I love all the traditional events we usually attend, but I’m always feeling so stressed throughout the month. This year, I felt relaxed; and all of my packages were even wrapped five days before Christmas. Usually, I’m still wrapping late into Christmas Eve evening after church. I even had some time to make Scottie Dog sugar cookies.
Since I was spending Christmas at my parents’ house, I didn’t decorate my house for the holidays, but my parent’s house looks so lovely and festive, like something out of a Hallmark Christmas movie. We had planned to have Christmas Day outside around the fire pit.
The week before Christmas, my mom and I baked pumpkin bread and my great-grandmother’s recipe for German stollen, made candied orange peel, hung lights on the patio, and took several walks around Eastlake Village, a neighborhood known for its holiday lights, near our homes. In fact, my mom and I had such a nice time on our walks we did it three times in the two weeks leading up to Christmas.
On the Monday evening before Christmas, my parents and I went stargazing to see the Christmas Star, the alignment of Jupiter and Saturn. We were actually able to make out the rings of Saturn and the moons of Jupiter through the telephoto lens of our camera.
One tradition I did miss was attending church on Christmas Eve. It is always one of my favorite church services of the year. This year we livestreamed the service and even participated with our own candle lighting. I am still getting a kick out of watching church on the computer. Again, things were different, but our pastors did such a wonderful job reminding us of the true reason of the season. Since indoor worship is not allowed in Orange County right now, our services are held “under the Big Top.” The outdoor tent was decorated with garland, so a real effort was made to still make it a special service, despite the Santa Ana winds.
After church, we drove around looking at Christmas lights in the neighborhood. This year, I felt like our neighborhood really went all out with Christmas decorations. Christmas lights really do make me feel happy.
Christmas morning, I slept in before heading over to my parent’s house for brunch and opening Christmas presents. The Pack woke up at 4:30; they must have been excited for Santa Paws visit, but after feeding them breakfast I went back to sleep for a few more hours. Once we were all up, I put the pups into their Christmas outfits; Becksie wore his new dinosaur jammies and matched my dad in his T-Rex Christmas sweatshirt. Bunker and Beowulf wore bandanas, and Schenna had on her fancy candy cane collar and sweater.
We always wear our pajamas on Christmas Day. It’s a fun tradition that goes back to my childhood, and a nice way to be cozy and comfortable all day. Christmas Day was so warm, in the mid-70’s, thank you Southern California weather, so my mom hosted us outside in the backyard around the firepit. She brought the Christmas tree outside, and we all had a wonderful time, including the dogs who could run around the backyard all day.
I hope you had a wonderful Christmas season even though it looked a little different this year. I’m excited to see what the new year has planned for me and my family. And, most importantly, stay happy and healthy in the new year.
