Bulletin from Barbara

Thoughts of Christmas Past and Future

By Barbara Juliane Cordovi

This Christmas just past seemed different for one main reason. There was not enough time to do everything one wanted to do. The late date of Thanksgiving meant that the day after one was already behind schedule. In other words, late, late, late.

As the Burl Ives' song goes, Have a Holly, Jolly Christmas. I was really trying. The tree was up and it looked beautiful. Still does. I thought things would calm down after that but no way. A good move was to take the vacuum cleaner out. It always makes you feel so much better to think that everything is nice and clean again. Not so this time. I never got past the living room. Poor cleaner began to take on a look of personal interest. What is going on here? What am I, a potted plant? Another week went by, more cards, more packages to be mailed. The luncheon circuit was busier than ever. At least now something was there to greet me every time I entered the house--the immovable object, the vacuum cleaner. A picture perfect reminder of things to do.

I think the chief thing that did me in this year was the Martha Stewart influence, wanting everything to have the perfect look. But you should truly enjoy what you are doing and that is where the time element comes in. For example, my brother and sister-in-law sent me a beautiful Santa Claus for my November birthday. It came from the upscale store we had visited, where I had admired everything but bought nothing. Now, one cannot put a Santa like that just any place. I decided to make a new arrangement for the mantel. Two major elements surfaced once more-time and perfection. That is where your individual taste and choice come in. I am a Christmas person all year round. The magic, belief and joy that go with that holiday are among the most precious moments to remember.

Coming back to my mantel: I worked with what I had, making the Santa the center of attention, adding a small Christmas tree decorated with gold pine cones, two small houses that I simply could not leave in a store, green branches, candles (electric) two large gold bows and I had the perfect Christmas scene, the mystique of Christmas Eve in the forest.

Outside influences affect all of us, making us feel full of vim and vigor or dragged out. At this time of year, it is wise to listen to weather and traffic reports. Of course I can understand that one cannot be upbeat if an ice storm or some other misery is just about to hit, when you had planned an all-day shopping spree. I hate to wake up to gloom and doom-how the traffic is impossible before you even get out of bed, gridlock here, gridlock there. Another thing that shakes up my sense of time is that some stores have had a 7 a.m. opening. It's dark and cold and your bed feels more comfortable than it should. Then comes that nagging feeling. What am I doing in bed? I am running late again.

Time waits for no one. That is why it is important to enjoy all the small and big pleasures in life. Make new friends but cherish so much the old ones. Count your blessings and with that, we wish one and all a wonderful New Year. Let it be happy and healthy.