Keep Christmas Well
It’s Christmas Eve. And if you’re lucky, you are gathering with your family and friends to celebrate the Joy and Love that Christmas brings.
Not everyone is that lucky, though. Many are spending Christmas alone. Some are homeless and some are sick.
And then there are those like me who have raised a family. My two beautiful sons have made their way in the world and I’m proud of them both, But for the first time in my life, neither will be with me this Christmas Eve. I will be spending Christmas Eve alone.
At first, the thought ate at me; it gnawed at my soul. It hurt. But then I remembered that I have a choice. I can choose to count the blessings I don’t have. But if I do that, then I’ve doomed myself to forgetting the blessings I do have.
And I do have many. And, I bet, you do too.
When I was young, I used to visit my grandparents on Christmas Eve – but only for an hour or so and then I was off with my friends. I never thought about them sitting there alone after I had gone. I used to spend Christmas morning with my parents, open gifts, and hurry off to spend the rest of the day with my friends.
Young people are often not the most thoughtful, I guess. At least I wasn’t.
When I was young the thought of me being a parent, heaven forbid a grandparent, was as foreign to me as setting foot on the planet Mars.
It’s funny how life goes in circles, isn’t it?
Here I sit on Christmas Eve, alone, watching Christmas movies that once I watched while surrounded by family and friends.
Friends drift away and death whittled away at my family as it does to all families – and so here I sit with a glass of wine and a head full of memories – Christmas movies on a TV that no one is watching.
I moped around all day yesterday, trying to think how I was going to face my first Christmas Eve alone. But then I got a call from one of my sons. His plane had just arrived and he was calling me to check in and to tell me his plans. Today, Christmas Eve, he will be spending the afternoon and evening serving hot meals to the homeless. And tomorrow, Christmas Day, he will be doing the same. He and his troupe hope to serve hot food and good cheer to over 5000 homeless people and their families.
How lucky I am to have a son like that!
And my other son, he’s off visiting with his wife’s family today, but tomorrow, Christmas, he and his will be with me. We’ll be opening gifts and sharing Christmas Dinner together. We’ll exchange gifts tomorrow, but do you want to u know what the best gift he gives me is? Every Thursday, he takes me out to lunch. No, he doesn’t feel sorry for the “old man”, he does it because he enjoys an hour of uninterrupted conversation with me – and I with him.
I am lucky, aren’t I?
And because of the way things worked out this year, next Friday, I have something else to look forward to. Both of my sons, their wives, and my grandkids will be coming to visit me. We’re going to share some good food, good times, good gifts and making some great memories. What better Christmas present could anyone have than that?
Sure, I’m sitting here alone today, watching Christmas movies, looking out the window and gray dreary Christmas Eve day. But I’m not feeling sorry for myself anymore. No. I choose to count the blessings and gifts I do have, rather than ponder what I don’t have.
Christmas is a special time. It’s a time for counting our blessings, for remembering those who are less fortunate than us. It’s a time for sharing and caring. It’s a time to forgive and a time to forget. It’s a time for giving. It’s a time for doing the all the things Jesus taught us to do.
No matter what your situation is this Christmas, I will bet that you have more blessings and gifts to count than you’ll ever know. I hope you will take the time to count your blessings – each one is a gift.
I hope your Christmas is filled with family, friends, good times, and good cheer.
As Charles Dickens wrote in “A Christmas Carol”:
Narrator of Scrooge:“And it was always said of him, that he knew how to keep Christmas well, if any man alive possessed the knowledge. May that be truly said of us, and all of us!’’
Tiny Tim: “God bless Us, Every One!”
May we all keep Christmas well.
Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas! I too am sitting alone. Alone on this Christmas Eve due to illness & being unable to travel to be with family. Even so, I have many blessings that I count every day!
Thank you both for all you do & enjoy your families!
I am thankful for both of you & many other things in life. Sorrow & regret have no place in my heart.
Merry Christmas! I hope all that tomorrow brings is Great.
My husband and I only have each other tonight. I should not say only. We still have each other and tomorrow we will have Christmas dinner with our daughter. I know that our son and daughter both love us very much. Sure, I miss them, but as you say, our blessings are more than our sadness.
My husband and I only have each other tonight. I should not say only. We still have each other and tomorrow we will have Christmas dinner with our daughter. I know that our son and daughter both love us very much. Sure, I miss them, but as you say, our blessings are more than our sadness.
Thank you…I needed that. This is the 6th year I’ve been alone since my husband died but I have much to be thankful for especially wonderful friends, a nice apartment and good health….although i fell a few days ago and i look like a relative of the Munsters. I do have family somewhere.
Wishing you a wonderful Christmas with lots of love….and a very successful New YEAR
Thank you for that reminder . Here in NZ we are celebrating christmas day and we have most of tne family but thankfully for technology this evening we will catch up with ones that are not and get to see our first great grandchild. What a blessing that is.
WOW!! Did I ever need that story tonite…Thank you so much!! I am sitting by myself Christmas Eve too. I am playing solitaire on my PC. My husband has gone to bed.It is the very first time , in 66 years we haven’t had family with us Christmas Eve & Christmas Day tomorrow.Jingles Bells is playing on my TV. We attended our church Candle Light Christmas Eve Service. It is usually packed solid.Tonight it was only about three quarters full. In my 84 years I have never seen so many empty pews. Changing of the times there as well? I was feeling so sorry for myself ’till I decided, enough Solitaire, I will look on my iPad just in case someone even just emailed me..(in my sorrow) Yours was the only one!! Boy! Did I need that!! Thank you so very much! You just made my Christmas Eve as well as tomorrow a very different time for me….yes, blessings we have many!!
Our 3rd Great Grandchild due next month…wonderful Grandchildren along with our 3 grown children . Blessings? Many of them for sure!! It took you to remind me of that!! It’s a whole different Christmas Eve just because of you!! God bless you. Merry Christmas.
Wow that is a beautiful story but it also true. I hope you have a Merry Merry Christmas and a happy healthy New Year!!
God bless you, I needed that.
It is now Christmas Day evening and I have been alone both Christmas eve and Christmas Day. One granddaughter did call and say she would be by about 3 o’clock but it is now 6:30 and I don’t expect she will come. Usually someone at least brings me a plate of food but this year nothing. Guess it is the first time in my life that I have not had chicken and dressing. No text messages, just the one phone call that did not do as promised. This year has been very lonely especially. Our families are dying and the young ones don’t have time for us old folks. I know we are about the same age as I catch remarks from you occasionally that gives you away. The one that really stuck in my head and really dated you was a remark in one of your articles where you stated “come on, sing along with me Mitch”. I knew exactly what you were talking about! Thanks for your rant. You always make me cry!
We hope your granddaughter surprised you and made your Christmas Day!