Christmas tree

We plan for months for this season. We purchase gifts, or craft supplies to make gifts, and then work towards the date. In the summer I also preserved food, some of which would be gifts from my kitchen in this season. My crafting process began in July since my project was quite a large one—scrapbooking photos for our grandchildren.

I also looked forward to certain events such as Christmas craft shows and social gatherings that are typical in the months of November and early December. You’d see evidence of that on my business Facebook page and earlier pages of this blog. Also there was planning for events when family and friends tend to get together at this time socially.

Fellow members of our Toastmasters club, A Christmas Tea

Toastmasters Christmas dinner together

And now we’re in the middle of Christmas. By store standards, with Boxing Day events going on all around us, we’re past Christmas, but in our church, we’ve only entered Christmas a short while ago. For those of other faith traditions, they might still look forward to their celebrations.

While the stores piped in Christmas music all through November, in our church we were marking Advent—preparing our hearts as we prepared for the coming of the Christ Child. And the children in Sunday School told us the story of Jesus’ arrival in their own way. Our bell choir participated twice in the season, once with the Senior choir and another Sunday on our own. November was still a busy month in our church, marking the season.

And we have prepared for, and celebrated, Christmas with our adult children and grandchildren, with friends, and in groups where we count ourselves members. We’ve eaten well, shared gifts and enjoyed spending time together.

Today will be the first Sunday of the Christmas season. The church was decorated just two weeks ago, with poinsettias and the tree set up and decorated. It looked beautiful and still reverent. Just in time for the fourth Sunday in Advent. Just in time for the Christ Child candle to be lit on Christmas Eve.

St. Stephen’s sanctuary

So indeed, as a family of faith, we are now in the middle of Christmas. Epiphany will be upon us in another week before we mark Sundays after Christmas.

We have one more family gathering to come—next weekend—with my siblings and their families. Years ago we moved our Christmas feast to early January and celebrated our father’s birthday along with Christmas, since his day was January 7th. And it also meant that our event didn’t compete with other Christmas celebrations, kid’s sport activities in the holidays, or most often those people who’d get away for a Christmas vacation somewhere. Our parents have died in recent years and we miss them, however, we continue the celebration together, for those who can attend.

Christmas Day with family

Thus I will still say Merry Christmas to those who share like celebrations and Happy New Year to all, for 2020 indeed is coming very soon. See you in 2020!