‘Tis the week before Christmas, and all through the island house, all the creatures are stirring and have already accomplished the following:
- Baked Christmas cookies twice
- Shopped with a ten-year-old girl for another ten-year-old girl (a harrowing and laborious feat)
- Attended one Christmas party
- Missed one Christmas party (long story)
- Discovered, after all our paring down, that we still have multiple white elephant gift options in our house
- Put up two Christmas trees (both inside—I learned my lesson back in 2011)
- Attempted to make two foam Christmas trees in beachy blue colors without directions or supervision from those who know how to craft
- Shopped online, in small local island shops, and in larger mainland stores for gifts for people aged five to eighty-five
- Bought three new coastal Christmas ornaments
- Watched How the Grinch Stole Christmas and A Charlie Brown Christmas
- Lined up A Christmas Story, It’s a Wonderful Life, Elf, and The Polar Express so they’re ready to go for this weekend
- Dreamed of light snowfall on a warm sea
Over the next few days, we’ll add to this list. And then, on Christmas Eve, just when we’ve settled down for a long winter’s nap, out on the beach will arise such a clatter that we’ll spring from our beds to see what is the matter. We’ll hear the prancing and pawing of each little hoof, and we’ll know in a moment it must be St. Nick. Later, as away they’ll all fly (over the Atlantic) like the down of a thistle, we’ll hear him exclaim ere he drives out of sight, “Merry Christmas to all, and to all a goodnight!â€
My thanks to Clement C. Moore for words and inspiration. 🙂