Thursday, December 26, 2013

Christmas 2013

The tea kettle whistle is silent. No one is pounding at level 12 on my treadmill. And despite that the "Lord of the Rings Trilogy" musical score is forever stuck in my head, the television surround-sound no longer reverberates across the living room as elves, men and orcs fight epic battles.

The kids have left Elmira. Christmas with its perfect Grinch Cookies, peanut butter fudge and multiple Scrabble games has come and gone. The stockings stuffed full yesterday morning hang limp on the wall.

Good news is we have no holiday debt--something we don't buy into. My biggest shopping trip was to the Talache beach along the shores of Lake Pend Oreille where I found a perfect rock to stuff into each stocking. My kids all brought stocking stuffers, too, having found bargains at Goodwill. And our son brought each of us a regional taste from Wisconsin--Legacy Truffles for me and New Glarus Beer for Todd. We had extra oysters and black olives this year which felt decadent. Special without breaking bank accounts.

More good news is we have a porch-full of split firewood. Our son-in-law Drew is a master wood chopper. Not only that, but her shoveled our huge driveway twice. Before leaving, he even put away chairs and fixed my rocking chair. Yes, this is the Christmas I fell off my rocker! He and Allison are now headed to the Twin Cities to celebrate with his family and return Kyle to college in Wisconsin. I have their huskies in the meantime.

Having a Christmas celebration with all the grown children was priceless. It may be silent, but my heart is filled with joy. Christmas reminds us that there is always good news. Near or far, rich or poor, grand or simple, love knows no boundaries.

Enjoy a few memories of Christmas 2013 on Elmira Pond.














2 comments:

  1. Such a joyful post. Enjoyed seeing the family pics. Isn't it wonderful to celebrate without the debt? Makes it even better.

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    1. Thanks for stopping by! Yes, it is possible to gift without buying into debt and consumerism. The gift of presence leaves good memories. Also, Todd's parents gifted us some cash and we used it to take our college son out to a true western steak house for a dinner none of us will soon forget!

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