Tag: Christmas

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Happy Happy Merry Happy!

I wrote this verse and made it into a card many years ago. It was a new feeling I had about winter, brought about, as I recall, by working from home and my boys grown. I no longer had to face getting my car out on snowy, icy roads if I didn’t feel like it. I was able to think of winter as a cozy time.

I just now finished this year’s Christmas cards. I put lights on a little tree outside just two days ago. And it’s balmy here today, with rain predicted for our Christmas Day, with a high of 60. My cards are late and apparently winter is, too, this year. We are in sync.

The other day in the woods a guy called out, “Merry Happy!” as he passed with his dogs. I like that. So I’m thinking “Happy Happy Merry Happy!” Hanukkah, Solstice, Christmas, and New Year’s. Many reasons to celebrate. Many reasons to call out cheerfully to people one doesn’t even know. It’s just too bad the holidays are all crammed in together, rather than spread throughout the winter, for even though I like winter much better than I used to, one does still long for a beach around about the end of January or early February.

A virtual 2023 Christmas card from me to you

Anyway, I just wanted to call out cheerfully to all of you, who make it possible for me to write these letters every Sunday morning. Without you there would be no point. Now that I’ve said that I’m remembering that I told a friend just yesterday that I would write a strongly worded letter to God about all the health troubles my friend has been facing, with aplomb, I might add, for years and years. So I suppose I could write my letters even if you weren’t out there reading them. I could send them out to the universe. Nevertheless I’m grateful for you, lovely reader, and am happy to wish you all sorts of holiday cheer, or as much of it as you can stand.

“One can never have enough socks,” said Dumbledore. “Another Christmas has come and gone and I didn’t get a single pair. People will insist on giving me books.” ― J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone

“Here in the Northern Hemisphere, we celebrate the darkness as it is in its fullest influence. The once fertile forests are now bare and awaiting their rebirth. The surrounding shadows whispering to us of our natural-born powers. And the knowledge of a convergent awakening.” ― Dacha Avelin

“Mistletoe,” said Luna dreamily, pointing at a large clump of white berries placed almost over Harry’s head. He jumped out from under it. “Good thinking,” said Luna seriously. “It’s often infested with nargles.” ― J.K. Rowling , Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

“Jolabokaflod – noun; an Icelandic tradition in which books are given as Christmas presents and opened on December 24, after which the evening is spent reading the books: from a practice begun in 1944, when paper goods were among the most available items in postwar Iceland.” – Dictionary.com

If you’re looking for my cards or art, you’ll find all of that on my website. If you enjoy these letters, feel free to forward this one to anyone you think might like it. And if someone forwarded this one to you, you can sign up here to receive the letters right in your Inbox. Finally, you’ll find past letters and poems here.

Thanks for listening,
Kay

P.S. MerryThoughts is the name of my first book, out of print at the moment. The word is a British one, referring both to a wishbone and to the ritual of breaking the wishbone with the intention of either having a wish granted or being the one who marries first, thus the “merry thoughts.”

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A Holiday MerryThoughts

To all of you celebrating holidays this weekend, I’m sending an extra little letter with wishes that your holidays be lovely, warm, cozy, and maybe even a little bit magical.

I love the idea that magic and miracles could happen. I like to believe that the possibility of peace in modern times (itself a miracle) is real. I love hearing stories of people loving people no matter what. I am all for the words WONDER and BELIEVE. And so this time of year is dear to my heart.

MAY YOU HAVE PEACE IN YOUR HEART THIS HOLIDAY SEASON.

“Winter then in its early and clear stages, was a purifying engine that ran unhindered over city and country, alerting the stars to sparkle violently and shower their silver light into the arms of bare upreaching trees. It was a mad and beautiful thing that scoured raw the souls of animals and man, driving them before it until they loved to run. And what it did to Northern forests can hardly be described, considering that it iced the branches of the sycamores on Chrystie Street and swept them back and forth until they rang like ranks of bells.” – Mark Helprin, Winter’s Tale

If you’d like to see my new paintings online, go here. Be sure to click on the thumbnails to see the whole picture! If you’re looking for my cards or art, you’ll find all of that on my website. If you enjoy these letters, feel free to forward this one to anyone you think might like it. And if someone forwarded this one to you, you can sign up here to receive the letters right in your Inbox. Finally, you’ll find past letters and poems here.

Thanks for listening,
Kay

P.S. MerryThoughts is the name of my first book, out of print at the moment. The word is a British one, referring both to a wishbone and to the ritual of breaking the wishbone with the intention of either having a wish granted or being the one who marries first, thus the “merry thoughts.”

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Christmas Past Present & Future?

Although winter, the cold, and all the clothes one has to wear try my patience, I do love Christmas. It was, of course, more fun both when I was a child and when my boys were little. I have lots of fond Christmas memories. But even now I love the whole idea of it, the lights, the special meals, the carols, the gift buying, the secrets, the festive atmosphere, and of course, the cookies.

When we were kids, on Christmas Eve our aunt and grandmother would come over and we would be sent upstairs while Santa arrived. My dad would do the “HoHoHo-ing” at some point and soon after, we were called downstairs again. Wow! Presents were piled under the tree. I’m not sure why, but at least as far as I knew, none of us ever wondered how my parents knew just when Santa would arrive or why Santa would have been okay with them being there when he brought the gifts. We just enjoyed it as it was. And one year, my sister Pat claimed she had seen a sleigh and reindeer in the sky!

When Cole was still pretty little, he asked for and received a dog for his birthday. I still have the note he left for Santa that year, and I get it out every Christmas so I can hold it and smile over it. “If you have a extra bone we have a new dog.” So modest and so sweet. Peter, on the other hand, suspecting that I was Santa, left a large onion on a plate on the mantel, rather than cookies. Santa left him a note that said, “Dear Peter, Thanks for the onion, but onions give me gas and Mrs. Claus hates that.” I ended up making that into a Christmas card. He also rigged up some bells on his stocking one year, with the idea of catching Santa in the act.

We have always had dogs, but Miles is the one who has loved Christmas the most. He has a good nose, so he found the stockings filled with treats quite intriguing. But more fun, since he loves tearing paper, he likes to help open our gifts. It brings a bit of zaniness to Christmas and a rather jolly mess to the living room floor.

Miles in the wrappings and Rufus in his Santa hat

Now our Christmases are usually cozy–just me, Oliver, Miles and Rufus–but we have a good time. (Miles gets to open the gifts.) Once in awhile, Peter or Cole will come in from NYC, and once in a great while, both! But not often. And one day, I’d like to be in NYC at Christmas time. But it’s a difficult time to travel and now even moreso. I think we all wonder, will it ever be as we all remember? I like to think it might be even better.

I have an adorable six-year-old piano student from Greece. His mother told me he was ready for Christmas, as he had written his letter to Santa. I asked him in an animated voice, “Are you going to go see Santa?” and he said solemnly, “No. Coronavirus.” Sigh. I hope Santa brings him everything he asked for. And I hope you get everything you’re wanting this year, whatever that may be.

“One can never have enough socks,” said Dumbledore. “Another Christmas has come and gone and I didn’t get a single pair. People will insist on giving me books.” ― J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone

“One of the most glorious messes in the world is the mess created in the living room on Christmas day. Don’t clean it up too quickly.” ― Andy Rooney

If you’re looking for my cards or art, you’ll find all of that on my website. And if you enjoy these letters, feel free to forward this one to anyone you think might like it. And if someone forwarded this one to you, you can sign up here to receive the letters right in your Inbox. Finally, you’ll find past letters and poems here.

Thanks for listening,
Kay

P.S. MerryThoughts is the name of my first book, out of print at the moment. The word is a British one, referring both to a wishbone and to the ritual of breaking the wishbone with the intention of either having a wish granted or being the one who marries first, thus the “merry thoughts.”

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Another Harebrained Scheme

Last year I had a bit of a meltdown before Christmas, as I discovered my favorite tree lot was completely empty and shut down. I say “favorite,” but in truth even though it’s lovely, it is the only tree lot in town. You can find trees at a couple of hardware and grocery stores but the selection is poor.

Although I usually like the look of artificial trees in people’s homes, the ones I see for sale seem to me a bit cheesy. Several I’ve seen boast a combination of styles, i.e. one tree will have both Scotch pine type needles and balsam. Why? Cheesy. I’ve also looked around online for some kind of alternative tree that I could buy or make. I found some pretty cool ones but either too expensive or I couldn’t imagine making them.

I love sycamore trees, particularly the beautiful patterns left on the branches and trunk as the thin bark peels away. I often carry pretty branches home from Grindstone Nature Area. So I thought, why not make my own tree from sycamore branches? (Thus, my latest harebrained scheme.) I began collecting more seriously. Right near that stand of four sycamores along the creek trail, a big branch had fallen. Yes! My son, Oliver, and I went out there, cut it into large pieces and hauled them home. Now that my holiday shows are behind me, I’ve been working on it in earnest.

It has been a bit of a struggle. Well, it was very hard. The curvy branches, which I love, do not lend themselves to being attached to each other by a human. The thing went through many iterations, none of which (including the end result) are at all like what I had in mind. I went to bed a couple of nights thinking it was terrible, ridiculous! Yet I went right back to it each morning. I believe that working on it on the damp concrete outside my basement door on a wet day has caused my mold allergy to kick up a notch or two. The sneezing!! I have a painful crick in my neck from sawing. I was on my hands and knees. My hips cry out.

The finished tree, with lights and ornaments!

Nevertheless, I have created something unique and possibly cool. I’ve purchased clear lights on white wire to string around the trunk. Perhaps I’ll find some boughs of greens to put on. I don’t quite know how I’ll hang ornaments on it, but maybe that’s okay. We’ll see if it stands the test of time, i.e. whether I like it tomorrow, a week from now, and/or next Christmas.

I tried. It won’t win any prizes but it certainly is unique! I worked very hard on a creative project that is completely out of my skill set, using inferior tools (a miter box saw) and lacking something even as handy as a sawhorse. The work on it was stimulating. The problem solving was good for my brain. And Oliver drilled holes and helped me figure things out, so that made it fun. There’s never any harm in trying a thing, right?

“There are five important things for living a successful and fulfilling life: never stop dreaming, never stop believing, never give up, never stop trying, and never stop learning.” ― Roy Bennett

“A person who tries has an advantage over the person who wishes.”

― Utibe Samuel Mbom

If you’re looking for my cards or art, you’ll find all of that on my website. And if you enjoy these letters, feel free to forward this one to anyone you think might like it. And if someone forwarded this one to you, you can sign up here to receive the letters right in your Inbox. Finally, you’ll find past letters and poems on my here.

Thanks for listening,
Kay

P.S. MerryThoughts is the name of my first book, out of print at the moment. The word is a British one, referring both to a wishbone and to the ritual of breaking the wishbone with the intention of either having a wish granted or being the one who marries first, thus the “merry thoughts.”

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Merry Christmas!

Some years I write and design a Christmas card that’s just for friends and family, one that expresses my thoughts about the year. I did that in 2007, after I’d had a bad auto accident, broken my neck and somehow escaped paralysis. I felt incredibly lucky!

This year, like that one, calls for a special card. I have again been lucky. I’ve lost no loved one to the virus. At the outset I thought such a loss was a given. Instead, I’ve gained some wonderful things from this difficult year. I’ve reassessed many things, made some changes that have been fulfilling. I’ve learned more about who and what means most to me. I hope you have, too, amid the pain and difficulty. I hope you, too, have discovered some energizing change this year.

So here we are–it’s Christmas Eve. I have fond memories of buying Christmas trees from the Optimist Club. One of the first years I was on my own with my three small boys, I was feeling less-than because our little family included just me and my boys. But a very kind older gentleman who’d helped us with the tree said to me, “You sure have a nice family.” It was just what I needed to hear and he probably had no idea what it meant to me. I’ve never forgotten that. He made the Optimists our Christmas tradition.

This year there was, apparently, a tree shortage. At the Optimist lot, I found the gates locked and not a stick of anything inside. Crestfallen, I ended up getting a scrawny Fraser Fir at the hardware store. It is so skinny and sparse I can pick it up with one hand and I swear I could carry it around all day while playing pickleball, cleaning house, walking the dogs, and baking cookies. 🙂

But now that it’s full of lights and decorations, I’d say it’s a perfectly lovely tree. Our own Charlie Brown tree for a nice cozy Christmas. My son, our two dogs, and me. I hope your Christmas is just as cozy.

“Three things in human life are important: the first is to be kind; the second is to be kind; and the third is to be kind.”

― Henry James

If you’re looking for my cards or art, you’ll find all of that on my website. And if you like this letter, you’ll find past letters and poems right here.

It’s nice for me to think of you out there, reading this. I hope your holidays are filled with renewal and hope, merriment and laughter.

Thanks for listening,
Kay

P.S. MerryThoughts is the name of my first book, out of print at the moment. The word is a British one, referring both to a wishbone and to the ritual of breaking the wishbone with the intention of either having a wish granted or being the one who marries first, thus the “merry thoughts.”