I recall so clearly the simplicity of the holidays when we were young. We would show up and be fed and presented with presents, as it were. (Occasionally I would help Mum with the wrapping, but that was about the extent of my responsibilities.) In adulthood, it is not quite so simple or, frankly, so fun.
Who is coming to eat? What time are they coming? What are they bringing? Can we ask them to bring something? What time shall we eat? Oh heck. Let’s shop for 10 anyway; just in case they decide to show up and we will be embarrassed by the lack of food and drink (every Europeans greatest fear!). Oh no, the dog just barfed on the floor. We’ve got to clean everything up again before they arrive. Are they expecting gifts? Will they bring gifts? Anything I can quickly re-gift, just in case? Wait, no clean towels! Where are the clean towels? Will they notice a little dog barf on the backside of the towel, do you think?
It takes all the festiveness out of the holidays, if you ask me. Oh, and then the cleanup and the frantic shoving that takes place in front of the refrigerator as you endeavor to put a whole platter of turkey and several sides into an already crammed space. This is not fun. I remember relatives that would invite themselves round to “eat” per se, show up with generic soda, complain about the lack of this and that and then leave before the cleanup. Those were not the days either.
This Thanksgiving, we were a small group of four and that was rather nice. Less pomp and circumstance, less worries about the dog barf on the floor and definitely less chaos. I’m leaning toward being one of those who don’t celebrate the holidays at all. Let’s just take the day off and relax in the comfort of our own home, knowing that no one is coming, and we need to take care of no one and nothing but ourselves. What a joy it would be to stay in bed and read books all day, while the rest of the world shops, prepares and then cleans up after the Mega-Meal, while my kitchen remains spotless. I’m becoming a Grinch in my old age, can you tell? Or maybe I’m just tired.
I remember when my mother-in-law told everyone she would no longer host the big holiday meals at her house. What? Why on earth not? Her house was always the place we gathered; the family central where the warm generic soda could hold hands with the plates of devilled eggs and the cheap, on-sale pie. But I get it now. I don’t want the big gatherings at my place either, truth be told; unless people guarantee that they will arrive for all the prep and shopping and stay for the cleanup…. And who is going to do that when they don’t have to!
And this year we have the unwelcome — and likely to stay — issue of the unvaccinated. I told my husband, in no uncertain terms, that we would not allow people to stay with us who had not been fully vaccinated. My husband has way too many health issues for us to worry about who is coming in and do we have to set the vaccination police on them. Oh, and then, come to find out, my friend’s son, who has a horror of needles, is still not vaccinated, not even the one partially protecting shot in his little white arm. Their whole family was coming to stay with us for Christmas; it had been planned for months. No, not this unvaccinated thing for a large teenager who should know better!
That really brings the Grinch into the house with lots of smut and coal. I completely struggled over this one. And then husband and I gainfully attend a football game with 67,500 mostly unmasked and screaming folks. Maybe we shouldn’t be so excited about one youth with no vaccine, he commented wryly. We were both tight-lipped and masked throughout the event, while the rest of the world were acting as if no worldwide pandemic existed. We all want it to be over, I so understand that; but we must continue to do our part. We have to encourage everyone we know to be fully vaccinated — accepting the booster as soon as possible — and also exercise caution in public with our masks and our social-distancing.
Anyone out there still carry hand sanitizer and wet wipes? It’s a jungle out there, people. If the rich nations of the world don’t help the poor and get the universe all triple-vaccinated, this pandemic could last through my lifetime and beyond. It’s so worrisome. One variant seems to be near-managed and then along comes another Mega-Variant, which is going to put all of us optimistic folk back in our boxes. Now I really am sounding like a grouchy old Grinch. I’m not.
I love Christmas — all the peace and sparkle and the promise of a new year right around the corner. But we are still neck-deep in the middle of a very aggressive pandemic, and we can’t hide under the covers of our lives and wish it were otherwise. Because it’s not. We must soldier on with caution in our considerable luggage and encourage everyone to do the same. That is the only way there can be a modicum of sustained control begin to emerge from this nasty virus experience.
While we are all celebrating the season, in whichever way we choose in this lovely free world of ours, let’s not forget our responsibility to the universe and the important part we play in our slow climb toward some sort of normality. Look back a year and see how far we have come! But we certainly haven’t made it all the way and that will likely take some years to accomplish. We will be getting our Covid shots forever, in the same way we get other shots and with the same acceptance that it’s the smart thing to do. Protect your people and yourself, as much as you can.
Now back to the issue of the unvaccinated teenager of my dear friend. “Would it work if we all did Covid tests every day?” she ventured. Yes, that will do just fine. We will do the very best we can with what we have to work with. Anyone else super glad they had not only their booster shot, but also their flu vaccine? Don’t forget about that one this year either. The flu can be a very nasty killer that we seem to have forgotten.
OK, the Grinch is leaving the building now and wishing you all blessings, love and happiness in your homes. May the carols of Christmas past blend seamlessly with the gifts of Christmas present and grant peace where peace is due.
