The Season

The bed is covered with wrapping paper. Bags from stores both current and now out of business are to be found around the room.  There are bags from Younkers and Roots and Kohl’s and there is even a very old linen bag that says Eaton’s. The Eaton’s bag informs me very clearly time has flown by as the Christmas seasons have come and gone.  From the same trip where we picked up that linen, ecologically better bag, there is a picture of the lads on the lap of Santa at the Eaton Centre. John Lee was three and Loren was a baby.  On how long ago that special time seems.

Tonight, well it was the Christmas pageant at the church.  Loren and I ushered. This year’s premise was that an impresario was trying to put on the grandest and greatest Christmas spectacle ever. Act after act auditioned each with a little hint of the nativity story in their performance.  Three magicians (the Magi), a dancing lamb (her wrangler was a shepherd) and a fortune teller (prophet) all were auditioned.  Eventually the stage hand told the producer he should simplify things and just put on a dramatic retelling of the story of the Christ’s birth.  And so it was.

It was fun.  Watching kids grabbing a microphone for the first time is always a bit of blast.  There are the frightened frozen ones, there are the shy whispering ones and then there are the ones who just seem like they were born to be on the stage. Next comes listening to them all singing a verse and the chorus of a well-loved Christmas song. Proud parents comprised most of the congregation.  Us night time church goers comprise only about 25 people on average.  There were 15 kids in the play and they had parents and grandparents present.  Family pride still counts.

With about eight inches of snow on the ground, and it is not officially winter, with the smell of pecan rum cakes cooking in the kitchen and with the coming of the Christmas play it really is the height of the season.  There are seven days, one week left, in this the season of light.  I guess I will try and find some of the spirit tonight.