It’s a beautiful Christmas day here in Keene, New Hampshire. We’ve had a week of very unusual weather, starting with a foot of snow with sub-zero temperatures, segueing into balmy (almost 60 degrees) with torrential rain. And yesterday clear and sunny, but COLD. It reminds me of Michigan, whose state motto could be “If you don’t like the weather, wait around a minute….”
What’s especially beautiful this Christmas morning was when we opened our packages. Not just the part about opening presents and being pleasantly surprised. It was when I realized everyone in the room was watching, HOPING the receiver was going to be pleasantly surprised.
Because we wanted so very much to make the receiver happy.
People often complain about how hectic and frenzied Christmas shopping can be, and what a chore it is. It WAS hectic and frenzied this year. The older I get, the faster Christmas comes, in a cruel inverse relationship to CHILDREN waiting for Christmas…. I’m never ready anymore.
But what I love about Christmas shopping is the realization that, at its best, it’s about really, really trying to make someone else happy. It’s about showing them you care about them being happy.
It gets complicated. And we all know that happiness doesn’t always come in a nicely wrapped box.
But isn’t it fun trying?
