I think, in the larger scheme of things, that December should be a longer month. There should be two free weeks somewhere in the middle, when there are no dates, everyone just gets to take time off life and work and do what they need to for the betterment of mankind — paid, of course. A little fairy dust sprinkle of generosity here, a little there, that you get to arbitrarily spread around the universe. How about some mandatory selfless behavior as part of your school or work curriculum this time of year? It couldn’t hurt. No matter how you try during the holidays, you are galloping like a racehorse, and it quite often is not for the betterment of mankind, except for the kind inside your own clan.
I return from Europe mid-November and immediately have a book show to host at the Flair on the Farm holiday event at the Salinas Rodeo Grounds — a weekend fair which certainly took the wind out of my sails. That completely threw me off from my challenge to be on top of all this holiday stuff, because then, hot on the heels of the show was Thanksgiving and all that feasting that requires our full attention, not to mention planning, shopping, cooking, cleaning, prepping, cleaning, deflating. And then, blow me over with a feather, it’s already time for us — my daughter and I — and our annual adventure down in Paso to knock out our holiday shopping and enjoy the downtown and the Christmas parade the first weekend in December.
I had barely time to unpack one case and it was repacking time. No wonder my “box room” looks like a place for lost luggage. Years ago, we used to venture north to San Francisco to get into the holiday spirit, but these days we like a little quieter experience, smaller and more intimate. Not to mention less traffic!
Paso Robles is a divine little hometown only an hour south from here, and so beloved by so many. We did some power shopping before we, gratefully, located our hotel and then we enjoyed all the sparkly lights of the downtown, the antique shops and boutique offerings, also the Serial Wine Tasting, which was such a treat and a pleasure — thank you Jennie and the Cheese Queen. The Christmas season can’t just be about shopping; it must also be about the reason for the season, kindness to others, toasting our good fortune for the year near past and reinforcing hopes for the same in the coming year.
It came to my attention recently that a hardworking local family of seven children did not even have a Christmas tree to put up in their home, let alone presents to go underneath it. I never like hearing about that and, where possible, I will always do what I can to rustle up a little holiday spirit for other people among me and my people.
I managed to procure all the clothing and shoe sizes for the young ones. Years ago, I used to host a winter jacket and shoe drive for the local elementary school, and the condition of the young ones’ shoes always gave me cause for concern. Fortunately, my Mermaid friends from the Soledad pool wanted to help out with our 2025 Operation Family, as did other friends. We were on our way to giving this family we didn’t know the best holiday season ever. And that is such a wonderful feeling. I told my children that they were all only getting one small thing this year and they were fine with that. This year was going to be all about a family of strangers who have nothing near what many of us have and we were going to be delivering some happiness to their door, pure and simple — because we could.
As I checked my list full of names and clothing and shoe sizes, and I checked it twice and thrice, I could only imagine what it must be like to try and feed and clothe and raise seven children. In my own personal experience, three was an awful lot that we struggled to raise for a long time. Of course, you don’t have a tree when you have nine mouths to feed in the household. Silly me for even thinking that might be a possibility.
It has been a while since I had absolutely nothing and lived in a trailer on the Louisiana bayou with no furniture and little food. I remember a holiday basket being delivered to our trailer door that we didn’t accept, but, at the time, the thought was touching. Kindness is contagious — spread it along the roads you travel.
It’s been another busy year. What with weddings and funerals and traveling overseas and a little work here and there, it’s been a quite overfull to flooding 12 months and I could have used those two extra free weeks at the end of the year I fantasize about in this story. Of course, that’s ridiculous but wouldn’t it be lovely.
I’ve published another book this year — “Tales from the Forest – The Adventures of Madame Dragonfly” — my granddaughters are turning one and 11 on the same day, my daughter is now married and going back to school for her RN. It’s all happening in our family calendar, and we wouldn’t have it any other way.
I’m glad we made the time to bring Christmas to a local family who, one day, may be able to bring Christmas to another. You always hope that kindness is a gift that gets passed along over time. I’m also super gratified that my little helper Marisol, the oldest of the seven kids, will come and help me wrap and pack all these gifts for the family of nine, because I don’t mind the shopping and the schlepping, but I am absolutely no good at the wrapping. Also, her family will welcome the tree that comes pre-packaged with love and sparkle and I hope gives them the joy that mine always does, however small it is, like this year. I did get the permission of her parents to bring Christmas to them, if you are wondering, and there is still time to contribute toward a gift card I’d like to give them for groceries before actual Christmas is upon us.
Do you want to help, but don’t know which way to turn? The need is very large this year. Text me at 831-229-0663 to contribute toward Operation Local Family. And thank you.
