The Christmas Holidays are here! Hooray! Hooray!!! I know why should I an Elder Goth be cheered by the Christmas Holidays?
Well, Dear Darklings, the days after Thanksgiving marks the beginning of the modern Christmas season. A time for Shopping, parties, cooking, buying foods that one usually never eats during the year but must try, going to the theatre, decorations, visiting and most importantly giving thanks to a small child who was and is The Light of the World.
Yes for those here in the Northern Climes, by Dec. 21 to 25 we do enter the darkest period of the calendar year, if you live south of the Equator it is the lightest period.
But it is during this time, of winter cold, of possible hunger and freezing temperatures where we have to put forth every effort to beat back the darkness and the cold, with remembering those who are less fortunate than ourselves, the elderly, the sick, the homeless, and the helpless who are alone and forgotten. It is a time when we should never forget these lives who need help not only during the Christmas season but all year long.
For an Elder Goth, for any Goth, it is this darkness that we must delve in to bring in one candle of light and hope.
From collecting Toys for Tots so those unfortunate children can have at least one gift, to the donating of food for the food banks and meals for those who are down on their luck, to working in food kitchens to feed the needy, of putting into the kettles our dollars and cents for Salvation Army to help during this especially hard time of need. Of putting out food for the birds and small animals, of helping at the local animals shelter so those who do not have a voice will find a “forever home”.
For some people there is a form of unspoken ritual, such as selecting the right Christmas tree, writing out cards to send to friends and family, of planning a party or making something special to take to a party.
For others it is doing the Advent wreath and going to church to remember why we celebrate this season. And it is important to remember the true reason why we celebrate, it’s called the “Season of Giving” but not of presents but of one’s self, either of time or money or doing little things so those who feel forgotten are not forgotten.
Frances P. Church in his letter to a child, Virginia describes what the season really means, a man who really was disgusted with organized religion, was disheartened by war and by the mean spiritedness of people dug down deep into his own soul to produce the most iconic description of what Christmas should be, but using the iconic image of Santa Claus or old St. Nick.
I have an acquaintance of mine who on her own blog some years ago did a wonderful posting about that letter and the people involved in it. I’ll ask her if I can reprint it here on mine.
But for my family, well we are going to select a tree, most likely several trees, for the house, already bit by bit we’ve started putting the lights outside on the house to give it a festive air. And the indoor decorations are already dragged out and ready to be put up, something that we’ve been doing bit by bit, with this Friday for the tree selections, there is a Church operated Christmas tree lot, the sales will help with their educational programs.
We will, with Coralline and Marrisa, take in the Dickens Faire, The Nutcracker, “A Christmas Carol”, the holiday lights at the Oakland Zoo, and see what celebrations at Dunsmuir House, as well if possible any Christmas craft shows; we already are planning to see “It’s a Wonderful Life” playing at a local theatre. And somehow we will squeeze in shopping, but we’ve decided to give gifts to only to the children, and I’m grateful that I’ve had my flu shot.
We are checking the pantry and wines and spirits (the drinking kind) and making a list and checking it twice. The “Spare The Air” hot line is on speed dial to see if we can or cannot burn a fire, but with the freezing chill we’re having I hope we can burn a fire for the next few evenings, if not well I’ve laid in a lot of tea lights and candles to give the impression of a fire.
And now I must finish this post, I’m going in to cover the afternoon and help with some catch up. This is going to be very busy for me.
Later Darklings.
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| We have such fun at Christmas Time. |
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