Winterfest

For many years now we have been enjoying Christmas at Kari and Danny's house, hauling across the country for the occasion and living with them for a week or so. Last year, we were blissfully happy to have only a 40-minute drive to the festivities. Somewhere in the course of last year's holidays, though, we realized: We live here now. We have the luxury of spending the last couple weeks of December at home. We have the opportunity to host as well as to be guests, and to establish traditions of our own. What would we do if we were doing it our way?

This is a really interesting question in many families, I think. I heard someone say once that all families are interfaith families, because everyone comes with their own unique beliefs and traditions. My family of origin's tradition was mostly to be guests, and since I identify as Jewish, I have the potential to be pretty disinterested in Christmas. Dale, however, cherishes the festive Christmas traditions he grew up with, including a tree brought in from the woods, lots of cookie and candy and ornament making, and one or two extremely special gifts, from Santa, that were way beyond what he would hope for at any other time of year. What to do?

When in doubt, learn. Last year I learned that Santa is a fantastic mishmash of American immigrant traditions, owing parts of his identity not only Saint Nicholas (a Greek bishop from what is now Turkey), Charles Dickens, Coca-Cola, and Washington Irving (who cartooned him as a Dutch sailor, with a pipe), but also to Odin (who rode an eight-legged flying horse; if you left boots of straw by the fireplace for him, he'd replace the straw with candy). I love that! My research has helped me to decide that there are really two different holidays, the Christmas with the baby Jesus and another one that I wish I could call Winterfest but I think I would sound like a kook. I am perfectly happy to celebrate Winterfest. In fact, I am looking forward to it.

Thus, when we found ourselves with nothing to do at 5pm today, we went out and got ourselves a tree. How about that? There is a fabulous tree lot just down the street from us, like something out of the 1950s, with enthusiastic young men happy to help you pick the perfect tree. They gave ours a fresh cut, stuck it in their special tree shaker to shake off the loose needles, wrapped it in fishnet, tied it to the car for us, and gave candy canes to the kids. Here it is in the living room.


My next plan is to have a crafty and frugal December, making ornaments with the kids. Posts are promised.