The holidays are here, and for some that means stress. But as I’ve gotten older, I find my holiday stress shrinking faster than my Christmas tree collection. No more squeezing holiday chores in after work—I’m retired! With nieces and nephews in their twenties and thirties gift-giving has simplified, and living in a community where dinner is part of the deal means I’m no longer planning and cooking dinners. These days, I’ve downsized to one Christmas tree (from two) and two boxes of decorations (from six). Let’s hear it for less glitter and more joy!
Thinking about what brings me joy it’s great memories and the little things of everyday life. Do you have memories of things that make you smile?
Here’s one of mine: One Christmas I gave my middle sister a guitar. My youngest sister, who was six at the time, grabbed it, strummed a few strings, and composed a masterpiece: “Horsey Go Home. Horsey Go Home…” No one knows where she got those lyrics—there were no horses in sight. She doesn’t remember the moment, but the family laughs about it every year.
Children have a magical way of turning ordinary moments into pure joy. While not a Christmas memory, one moment that still makes me smile happened during a camping trip in 1971. Our friend’s nine-year-old niece—a budding Mariah Carey in spirit—decided to entertain us. At the time Joy to the World by Three Dog Night was topping the charts. Out of nowhere, she jumped onto the picnic table, struck a dramatic diva pose, and belted out, “Jer-e-MINE-a was a bullfrog!” (mispronouncing Jeremiah). She didn’t stop there. With one hand on her hip and the other pointing emphatically at each of us in turn, she substitutes “Boom, boom, boom,” for the three guitar chords. Her enthusiasm was contagious, and we all laughed. Whenever hubby and I hear that song, we sing along with her version—“Jer-e-MINE-a was a bullfrog – boom, boom, boom”—and are instantly transported back to that joyful moment.
Of course, joy isn’t just about the past. It’s also about noticing the beauty in the present moment. Whether it’s a magnificent animal, a song you love, or good times with friends, everyday moments can make us happy when we pause to notice them.
After dinner, we sometimes ride around our community on our golf cart. As we turned the corner we spotted a great blue heron. We stopped the cart so we wouldn’t spook him. What a delight to see this magnificent creature up close. Another day I saw a little blue heron – another beauty. On a windy day, I snagged a picture of this punky egret with his feathers askew from the wind. He looked comical. I could watch these birds for hours.
Our neighbors certainly know the joy of animal sightings. They golf three times a week and give us “rabbit reports” after their round of golf. “We saw 32 rabbits this morning.” One day I asked them how golfing was and the woman answered, "mediocre." I asked, “Why mediocre?” She said, “We only saw three rabbits.” I chuckled, "So that’s what makes a good golf game – rabbit sightings?” The man laughed back, “Looks like you have a lot to learn about golf!” So I guess that in golf, the more rabbits you see, the better you score.
I love music, especially Christmas music. From bouncy tunes like Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree to serene music such as Silent Night or The Christmas Song. I confess. I even like Christmas songs some people would say are in poor taste, such as Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer (spoiler alert – in the video, grandma survives), and The Twelve Days of Christmas by Bob and Doug McKenzie. “On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me: a beer.” My tree decorating playlist starts with Arthur Fiedler’s A Christmas Festival. Those horns blaring Joy to the World are a jolt of festive energy.
The holidays are times for connecting with friends and family. We haven’t had a family Christmas in several years because we rarely travel nowadays. But we’ve embraced our local family of friends. We’ve attended lively holiday concerts with friends. I’m also excited about the ugly sweater day in the dining rooms. Residents and staff dress in ugly sweaters. But I think my sweater is cute, not ugly. It just has a snowman. It doesn’t seem kitschy to me, but the ad for it called it an ugly sweater. How kitschy does a sweater have to be before It’s considered an ugly sweater? What do you think?
And if none of these ideas bring you joy, here’s a bonus: December 15 is National Herding Cats Day and National Cupcake Day. For a good laugh, celebrate National Herding Cats Day by watching the 2000 Superbowl Commercial Cat Herders. Then for an extra dollop of joy, eat a cupcake. After all, on National Cupcake Day, calories don’t count!
Happy Holidays!