Sometimes the spirit moves you slowly. In years past the Christmas spirit has crept in on little cat feet like Carl Sandburg’s Fog. Christmas usually comes in slowly.
This weekend it was unseasonably warm. I didn’t expect the spirit to grab me. I was in the produce section at the grocery store. I cruised right by the poinsettias. I didn’t bat an eye at the paperwhites. It was almost 65 degrees outside. I was wearing flip flops. Christmas was coming. But it wasn’t coming today.
And then I saw them. All at once two things happened. The Christmas Spirit seized me. And I was an old, old woman.
I don’t think these Christmas candies have ever looked good to me before. But I wanted them. I am blaming it on Sudden Onset Christmas Spirit Disorder and not some kind of rapid aging.
I resisted the candies.
But it was a close call. As I walked through the grocery store I had the fully formed thought “I should really keep my eyes open for some kind of a crystal dish.” A crystal candy dish? I have small children. I am in my mid thirties, I am in my sexual prime, dammit!! A crystal candy dish??!! The Christmas Spirit works in mysterious ways.
Hours later the spirit had grabbed hold of me. The tree was up. The mantle is half decorated. Rudolf is hanging on the wall. I had the girls take naps so we could decorate the tree in the evening and not stress bedtime. It was shaping up to be a good day. The tree would go up in a corner I could gate off. It is possible that Lucy will not crush herself or ruin 36 years of ornaments. I was wearing a velour sweat suit. MQD was out with his father to watch football. The windows were open. Chili in the crock pot. I didn’t dare ask the Universe for another thing.
Lucy was running like a drunken linebacker with her hands up. It is a text book bum rush. I glanced at her and back to what I was doing, I had a few seconds before she would slam in to my legs. “Mamamamamaaaa….” I wasn’t sure I’d heard it until I looked to Emily. Her mother’s girl, her eyes were wet and already leaking “Mom!!! She said Mama!”
I dropped to the floor and tried to hold her in my arms, to drink in this baby that is growing before my eyes. She was in a hurry. She had things to do. I let her go. My baby had called for me. I was Mama.
The day carried on. We took showers.
We put on Christmas pajamas and we decorated the tree.
The Christmas Spirit has grabbed hold of Mama by her ankles and it is pulling me under. I might not come up for air for the entire month. This evening when MQD and his father walked in to the house I was peace. I was love. I was goodwill.
There is only one spirit stronger than the Christmas Spirit.
And damn if they didn’t stroll in the house with some. Now excuse me, I need to kick back and watch a Christmas movie and sip a little shine. Christmas spirit is swell. But the white lightning is the spirit that warms me head to toe.
Excitement on the side 