Happy New Year! (From my point in time, to yours.)

By G. E. Shuman

                As I write this, I’m still in the old year of 2017; as strange as it seems to me that the year 2017 could be considered ‘old’. Such are the ways of deadlines and calendars. Strangely, to you, where, and more importantly ‘when’ you are right now, that’s exactly what it is.  The year I am in is a thing of the past to you; a vapor, and only a memory.

                Yes, you are in the brand-new year of 2018. In fact, by the time you read these words you will have already experienced at least a tiny portion of that new year. Some things in the new year, no matter how minute they are, have certainly already happened for you. From where I am, and from ‘when’ I am as I write, I can have no clue about what those things will be, or what they have been. (This is beginning to give me a headache already. How about you?) I can only say that I hope the new year is treating you well, so far. Time is a very funny thing.

                I also hope, and pray, that this new year that you are already experiencing will bring good things to our nation, and to the world. I am reminded that on September 10^th. 2001, the day, and the terrible events we simply universally refer to as 9-11, had not yet occurred. Only a handful of very evil people knew that they would.  My own father passed away just two weeks prior to that fateful date, and never knew that those buildings came down.  Somehow, that seems strange to me.

                There is one little-noticed fact that my daughter mentioned to me the other day.  It is that on December 31, 2017, and on that day only, every person who is an adult would have been born in the 20^th century, and every minor would have been born in the 21^st.  For you, that day has already passed. For me it hasn’t, and I hope I remember to contemplate that a bit on December 31, this coming Sunday.  Calendars are also funny things.

                This column is short. It’s late Thursday night, (actually, early Friday morning,) and I need to meet my last deadline of the year. I also need to go to bed. As the new year approaches for me, I am praying that you are experiencing good things in it already.  I’m asking for God’s blessing on this fragile, troubled world of ours. He alone sees our tomorrows, or even our next minutes. In many ways, I believe that is a very good thing.  

                Now, please forgive me. I’m wishing you this somewhat early from my point of view, and a bit late from yours. In either case: “Happy New Year!”

                

Christmas, Simply

By G. E. Shuman

                I think that the only time I enjoy the dark and cold of this time of the year is in the evening, as Christmas approaches.  I enjoy the ‘feel’ of our old home, as it battles the cold and shields us from everything outside. I like the warmth of an occasional fire in the fireplace, the glow of candles, and the lights of the Christmas tree. 

                Lorna and I decided, months ago, to do what we could to simplify this best holiday of all, in our home this year.  Presents have been intentionally trimmed back, therefore so has the stress of shopping.  Our decorating has been lessened, as has the time and trouble of all of that. Likewise, the ‘undecorating of the week after the holiday should also be less painful than usual. Even our tree is much smaller than those of “Christmas’s past” in the Shuman household.  (Who knows, maybe a small tree would make the fewer, smaller gifts look bigger, if that had been the goal, which it was not.)

                I mentioned in my last column our attempts at returning to a Christmas celebration of simpler times.  Our past few Christmas trees have been adorned with simple ornaments and strings of popcorn, as were those of many years ago.  This year we have even attempted, with mixed success, to find ‘old fashioned’ gift wrap, and did find an antique-looking smaller treetop star for our little tree.  (As someone slowly recovering from many years in the overdone Christmas’s of the retail world, these steps toward the simplification of our Christmas celebration just seem right to me.)

                The weekend after Christmas our extended family, with our kids and their families, will gather together for a huge holiday meal, and that is always a wonderful time for us. Because of this, I would like to keep our actual Christmas Day dinner on the simpler side, as with the rest of the day. My vote is for a ham in the oven and a crockpot full of veggies, on that day.  To me, in the case of possessions, celebrations, and even in the planning of meals, less is often more.

                Yes, this year our family’s Christmas Day will probably be simpler and less exciting than some in years past. To me, that’s okay, and even comforting, somehow.  Christmas Eve, especially, will be peaceful at our house, lit by candles and a twinkling star, and warmed by thoughts of the true meaning and miracle of what is to come… sort of like on that very first Christmas, long ago.