How important is it anyway?

These months some things can seem very important to you. The weather is getting colder. Are we ready for the cold weather? Taxes will be due before long. Do we have enough for that? I don't have something new to wear to a party? What will others wear? But right now, primary in everyone's mind is Christmas. Are you ready for Christmas is almost sung in the Christmas songs?

Nothing can make most of these worries fade away quicker than a false alarm call to the ER. Sitting in the ER and thinking about what's ahead usually is much more personal than Christmas preparations and clothes. Maybe not the finances, but in general when the word comes in that there is nothing wrong, but just drink more water, suddenly nothing seems more important.

If you are not completely ready for Christmas, then center on the few to whom it would matter the most and just explain to the others. They would rather have the false alarm news than any present you could buy. If you plan for the Christmas dinner in your home this year go ahead. Our granddaughter and family are planning on the cooking and if the house isn't ready, who cares? The important thing is that we may all eat together and enjoy the company this year similar to every year in the past. Maybe there're new babies, and maybe empty spaces, but the Family with a capital F is there. That includes folks other than blood or marriage of course.

Some Christmas worries for me have always been making the gifts come out equally. I have an idea for one that seems nicer than what I'd planned for another. Do they care? Possibly. Should you care? Not as long as it isn't continually obvious year after year. But who actually remembers what everyone brought last year? Not many. So I'm saying this year that I am giving what seems best for that person this year.

I am giving away some personal items so that they will be understood when I am no longer using them. If Son A would appreciate this item more than Sons B or grandsons A B C etc. then that's where it should go. It isn't the money value, or the size that matters. It is what is appreciated.

It's amazing what you can find after 90 years of living that seem precious but are not valuable. Who on earth would want their grandmother's baby shoes? I know I would have loved to have had something like that of my mother's, so I may put that thinking into younger generations. But someone will get them.

I have been more excited about Christmas this year than others and have really worried about two missing quilts. Has anyone seen two quilts, one an obvious church quilt and one a Texas Star quilt? I took them to an Ellis Domestic Science Club meeting a couple of years ago and haven't seen them since. I know I brought them home (I guess), but I don't know where I put them, as they aren't with my other quilts. But they are somewhere and someone will get them eventually.

But I want this year to be casual, fun, and loving, and if I don't get the pecans all picked out for my usual salad that very few like, so be it. We will have plain green jello with red apples in it. It might work better for some of us anyway.

If your Christmas isn't what you hoped it would be, remember the times it was. If it is a complete disaster, think how many years the family can enjoy talking about it together during holidays.

Because you know it doesn't really matter if things are perfect or well planned as long as there is the Christmas Spirit behind them. I thank Heavens for my friends, loving family and good health care and feel that nothing else really matters.

Merry Christmas