Noel

excerpt from Phyllis Tickle's book What the Land Already Knows.

It was 1980 and two Sundays before Christmas--the Virgin's Sunday, the Sunday of the pink candle that was waiting downstairs in the Advent wreath for me to come and light it. Earnest pleas were already coming up the stairwell. "Come on, Mama. Please come on and light it." What the voices did not understand--what I myself had not understood until only a few moments before and could not for the life of me have explained to them that morning--was that every Advent, by lighting Mary's candle, I also light that quiet place where my femaleness enters Christmas.

In the weak December light of that cold morning, our double bed sat in front of the bedroom's big windows, a disheaveled wad of blankets and quilts, a sea of wrinkles still warm from our bodies. As always, I began by removing the pillows to fluff them and pulling the bottom sheet taut again. I had folded back the covers to air, my hands moving in and out of the night's warmth and a life's memories. For twenty-five years we had slept there. We had conceived nine children on that bed and had brought seven of them to birth. Here I had always rested afterwards. And here they continued to join us in the morning, cold bare feet and knobby little knees hammering, innocent as Oedipus, against our mystery.

A shuttle of clouds blew over the lemony sun outside, and the gray pattern swam across the exposed sheets, moved up the bedroom wall, and disappeared on the ceiling. The wind was too cold that day, and I drew the drapes shut, blocking both the light and the cold for a while longer.

So it began again, the dying of our year. The long nights I yearned toward; the stripped trees and tan grasses; the graying of the sun. I tied a red ribbon around the lamp on the dresser, knowing that in a little while one of the children would bring a pinecone or a holly branch in from the field and slip it through the ribbon without my asking.

It was not quite two full weeks to the holy night; the children were waiting, and I had much to do. It was then that I first realized that I wanted to--in fact, had to-- pully the covers back up and smooth the spread before I could light the candle to which their voices were calling me. It was then that I at last perceived the pattern within my Christmas self. Always here, in this
place of beginnings, was my center, the order of my Advent days. This, first, must be right. A pillow or two set just so and then, on top of those, the special pillow that says Noel: "Birth". All over the world this fortnight people would wish each other birth; I would do it here.

***

And to you, my dear blog friends, I wish you birth! Noel!

Christmas Meme?

1. Egg nog or Hot Chocolate?
Both! Especially if they are homemade.

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree?
strange question. Traditionally speaking I thought Santa was in the business of stuffing stockings. anyway, wouldn't he have elves to help him with the wrapping?

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white?
This year our tree has white lights and there are no lights outside (last year there were colored lights outside but Pete didn't want to fuss with them this year - I don't blame him.)

4. Do you hang mistletoe?
No.

5. When do you put your decorations up?
Usually the weekend after Thanksgiving but this year it was a week later.

6. What is your favorite holiday dish?
Hmmm. tough one. I'm going to cheat and name two: lefse and swedish meatballs

7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child.
Seeing our Christmas tree with it's large bulb lights.

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa?
I don't know. I had older siblings - they spilled the beans while I was young.

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas eve?
Pete's family opens all of their gifts on Christmas eve. Pete and I open gifts with our kids on Christmas morn.

10. How do you decorate your Christmas tree?
In years past we have had two trees: one with all the misc. collected ornaments and multicolored lights, and one with a theme. This year we only have the themed tree which is so pretty. It has white lights and old fashioned glass ornaments in hot pink, green and aqua. It has a glass beaded garland, glittered pine cones, mica dusted nuts and sparkly birds.

11. Snow! Love it or dread it?
I'm dreaming of a white Christmas...

12. Can you ice skate?
nope.

13. Do you remember your favorite gift?
One year mom made Holly Hobbie dolls for myself and each of my sisters. She also made doll cradles with mattresses and blankets.

14. What is the most important thing about the Holidays for you?
Wonder and delight.

15. What is your favorite Holiday dessert?
Iced butter cookies. yummm!

16. What is your favorite Holiday tradition?
A simple meal of soup (oyster stew and a few others) and bread followed by gift opening on Christmas eve.

17. What tops your tree?
This year it's a sparkly peacock. ha!

18. Which do you prefer giving or receiving?
it's a toss up.

19. What is your favorite Christmas song?
I'm with Jan on this one: Oh Come, Oh Come, Emmanuel. I loved singing that at night in the Crown College chapel.

20. Candy Canes! Yuck or Yum?
Ho hum.

tonya, erin, pearl, jaime? up for a doing your Christmas meme? (what's a meme?)

Let us consider our present blessings!


Fezziwig to his guests
A Christmas Carol at the Guthrie
December 16, 2006