It's Christmas, Don't Be Sad

With all the sickness and scramble to complete holiday service arrangements, we have not decorated our tree, put up any decorations or bought any presents. I have found this mildly depressing over the last few days. Ben had to work a lot this week (funeral yesterday) and so our household wheel has screeched and ground to a halt. The house is a mess. The fridge needs to be cleaned out. And we have two sets of company coming back to back next week. Things are looking grim.

Christmas is a time where I have often struggled with the blues. There's always a lot to be done, and I find that I get irritated that the extra tasks and costs eat into my energy reserves and budget. I like being with family and going to church. I just don't like doing the work!! Historically my mom always "hated" Christmas too....maybe this is where this comes from. 2 years ago when we went to Culebra for the holidays, I loved the fact that we didn't buy any presents or put up any decorations. Well, we decided we were not going to, but then Ben did it when I was out one night that year! That was also the year I read Skipping Christmas by John Grisham and was delighted by the premise that one could go away and just come back when it was all over. (I would highly recommend this book. I laughed out loud a lot.)

This year we have been listening to a lot of Christmas music and it has really helped me along. Our favorites this year have been The Raffi Christmas Album, Wintersong by Sarah McLachlan, Peanut's Christmas and best yet, Christmas Songs by Sufjan Stevens. It has surpassed Charlie Brown as my alltime favorite Christmas album. Sufjan has a song called "It's Christmas, Let's Be Glad" and it's a song that I hear myself singing to my mom, and hear my younger sister singing to me. It's Christmas; don't be sad. Cheer up! People are coming. There's food to be eaten. There'll be presents . We'll play music. We'll get the work done together. Every time I have felt sad this season, I sing this song aloud. Even Isabelle has learned the "la la la" part and she sings it often in the bath.

Since it's Christmas, let's be glad
Even if your life's been bad
There are presents to be had

La la la la la la la la la la la la la

It's Christmas, let's be glad!!!