I hope you have had a joyous holiday season. Christmas truly is the most wonderful time of the year. Spending time with family and friends is worth all the fuss.
On my To Do list during the Christmas season includes the following things.
Watch “It’s a Wonderful Life.” I love that movie and can watch it repeatedly. I also think it would be very interesting if we could all see the impact we’ve had on others as George Baily did.
Watch as many Hallmark Christmas movies as possible. They’re all the same. Fifteen minutes into the movie, one knows how it will end. I still love them.
Remind everyone what the season is about. It’s not about the gifts we give or receive. It’s all about the greatest gift ever given. It’s about the Savior born in a stable.
I remember past Christmases and those who are no longer here to celebrate with us. Memories are painful and so sweet all at the same time.
Usually, I would have lots of cooking on my list. This year, my daughter ordered a prepared meal for dinner. It was really a relief, and it was delicious.
I’ve also learned that Santa Claus must be a woman. If men had to send cards, decorate, buy presents, wrap presents, prepare food, etc., we wouldn’t have the Christmas traditions.
Christmas is always a very busy time. Sometimes we get all wrapped up, like the presents we wrap, and lose sight of the Blessings and the special time that it represents. I pray that I never do that again.
My family and I made it ‘til midnight (that’s not easy anymore) on New Year’s Eve. We toasted in the New Year.
I don’t do New Year’s Resolutions. I find they just don’t work for me. For those who make Resolutions, if it works for you, go for it.
We sing “Auld Lang Syne” on New Year’s Eve. Do we even know what it means? It was originally a poem, in the Scots language. It was written by the Scottish National Poet, Robert Burns. He wrote it in 1788, but it didn’t appear in print until after his death in 1796.
The bandleader, Guy Lombardo, helped make the song a traditional New Year’s Eve song. His band played the song at the turn of the year in a series of popular radio (and later television) broadcasts that began on December 31, 1929. It continued for more than 30 years thus making it a tradition for bringing in the new year. This is according to Wikipedia.
The title translated literally into English is Old Long Since. These words can be interpreted as since long ago or for old times sake. The lyrics are about old friends having a drink and recalling adventures they had long ago. There is no reference to the new year.
Even after that explanation, I still don’t really understand the song or how it came to be such a tradition. But I love traditions anyway.
I wish for you, dear readers, a very Blessed and Happy New Year.
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Joyce Krawiec serves in the North Carolina Senate. She represents Davie County and Forsyth County, NC. Christian, wife, mother, small business owner, and conservative.