Rambling by Bea Tifton

 Filling in for the lovely and talented Beth Trissel. 

This is going to be a rambling post, Dear Reader, in honor of that disorientation many of us feel during the time between Christmas and New Years’ Day. What day is it? What am I supposed to be doing? How much did I gain from Christmas treats? (I’m definitely not ready to answer that last question!)

We had a low key Christmas this year. Usually, since both my mother and I both *love* Christmas decorations, it looks like Christmas just threw up all over our house. This year, I was recovering from a nasty respiratory virus, not Covid or RSV, but potent, just the same, that resulted in a slight case of pneumonia. Unfortunately, both my parents caught the virus with the same result. It hit my mother hardest. We missed all the parties, light viewing, decorating, etc. associated with Christmas. I sing in a community choir, and I missed singing with the local symphony and in our Christmas concert. Ouch! But I managed to get a small tree up and a few other decorations.

Like many families in the Southwest, we have tamales and other Tex Mex food on Christmas Eve. Then we open presents. On Christmas Day, we open our

 stockings and this year we had lasagna for our main meal. I managed to make gingerbread and cookies, and I bought two pies. We watched The Muppet Christmas Carol and Christmas in Connecticut (the original version, of course). Dad and I watched every Victorian version of A Christmas Carol we could find and we both reread the original short story.  It was a nice celebration.

For New Years, I don’t plan to make any resolutions. Before the Season of Eating, I’d already been on a new plan for eating and I’d lost 17 pounds. Not anxious to see how many I gained back, but am committed  to continue to become healthy. It’s not a diet, it’s a new lifestyle and I’m not motivated by making a resolution because it is January 1. I don’t do well with keeping New Year’s resolutions. We don’t really do much on New Year’s Eve.  We will watch the New Year’s TV specials and I plan to stay up until midnight because, unfortunately, we have neighbors who disregard the fireworks laws and even the “firing a gun into the air” laws, which terrify  my poor pets and keeps me awake. After that noise subsides, I will say good night to the New Year and go to bed.

On New Year’s Day, we will have a ham, cornbread, potatoes au gratin, deviled eggs, and black eyed peas. In the South, eating black eyed peas for dinner on New Year’s Day is considered good luck. 2023 was a tough one. I almost lost both my parents this summer and we’ve been plagued by health problems and assorted odd misfortunes. I’m  not superstitious, but hey, it’s tradition and we can use all the luck we can get.

There’s an inevitable post holiday letdown for most people. I read several articles and asked several people. My favorite advice was to do something kind for someone else.

Psych Central also had some great ideas. They include:

              -Getting the proper amount of sleep
              -Creating or maintain strong boundaries as needed (Saying no)
           -Embracing moments of solitude and quiet (https://psychcentral.com/lib/how-to-manage-post-holiday-depression#tips)

I hope your holidays were wonderful, Dear Reader, and you successful navigate the New Year and resume your routine. Thanks for reading and commenting on my blog posts this year, and I hope you continue to do so in 2024. May it be a wonderful year for us all.

 

Photo Credits: 

Pexels Andrea Piacquadio "Portrait of Woman in Red Top Wearing Black Framed Eyeglasses Standing in Front of White Background"
Pexels Ngah Duong "Boxes Under Christmas Tree in Room Corner"
Pexels Pavel Danilyuk "Christmas Decorations Under White Background"
Wikimedia Commons: Dwight Burdette Creative Commons "Black Eyed Peas"
Pexels Baurzhan Kadylzhaaov "Woman Sitting Between Brown Trees"
Pexels Jill Wellington "Happy New Year Text"