Past and Present

St. Patrick’s Day is a week away.  It’s not a day I get too excited about – I just make sure my kids are wearing green underwear so they don’t get pinched and we’re good to go.

Recently, however, I was bitten by the Family History bug.  I’ve become particularly interested in researching my mother’s side.  My Grandma Olive was adopted so we don’t know much about her biological parents, but I have learned that her father was part Irish – Patrick O’Neil was his grandfather.

So what do you know?  I’ve got a wee bit o’ Irish in me after all!

There’s something addicting about genealogical research.  When you find a record with names, dates, and places, stories begin to form and relationships develop – no matter that you’ve lived decades, centuries, or oceans apart.

My Grandma Olive’s parents were married with five children.  When they separated, the father took his three sons and the mother, Annie, took her two baby girls – though she was soon unable to provide for them and had to place them in an orphanage.  When Olive was three she went to live with a couple who later adopted her.

I truly appreciate Olive’s adoptive parents who gave her a good home, but my heart aches for Annie, my biological great-grandmother who had to give away her babies.  I’m drawn to her – and I’m grateful for every bit of information I can find to piece her life together.

And so I urge you to record your own family histories and share them on websites like Ancestry, Family Search, and My Heritage so that those searching for their past, like me, can find it.

Celebration Times

We just finished two of my favourite holidays, Valentine’s Day and Family Day.  Two days to celebrate love and togetherness.  I can get on board with that.  I just wonder who decided to put them so close on the calendar.  Why not spread the love throughout the year?

I know some holidays are anniversaries of historic dates – like Canada Day and Remembrance Day – that shouldn’t be changed, but why do we have to stick to dates chosen centuries ago for strange reasons?

Like Halloween.  I’d rather not pretend that spirits have easier access to the mortal world on October 31^st and choose a bright, warm day for a dress-up party so we don’t need to fit costumes over snowsuits.

A few extra holidays would also be nice, like in January.  New Years hardly counts.  It’s more a day to recover from the night before and mourn the end of the holiday season.  We need a “We Made It Through January Day” at the end of the month.

It would make more sense and foster national unity if all the provinces celebrated holidays on the same day and everyone had the option of taking those days off work.

I’m glad we celebrate Thanksgiving at harvest time rather than as a kickoff to the Christmas season.  And even though Jesus wasn’t born on December 25^th, I think observing His birthday then is a nice way to end the year.

It sure is great to have so many things to celebrate!

Christmas Spirit

I started the season by writing a short story, The Christmas Condition, about a young woman whose first Christmas home after moving to the city isn’t quite what she expected.  Eventually, she learns that the condition of her heart is more important than the conditions around her.

With those sentiments in mind, I got off to a good start – thinking of others, feeling the joy, not stressing over things that don’t matter.

Somehow, despite my good intentions, the evil elf squeezed his way into our home and began to spread anti-Christmas tidings.  Don’t you hate it when the “bah humbuggers” ruin things for the rest of us?

A few nights ago I couldn’t take the negativity anymore.  I mean, when you get to bickering over which holiday movie to enjoy as a family, things aren’t going well.  So I went to my room and finished reading a favourite Christmas book.  Then I stared at the ceiling for awhile until I had an idea.  Not just an idea; inspiration: “The only person you can change is yourself.”

Words from my novelette’s main character echoed in my head:  “I realized that my Christmas cheer was conditional – based on events that were happening NOW instead of THE EVENT that happened two thousand years ago.”

Was it possible?  Was I allowing my Christmas cheer to ebb and flow based on the actions of those around me instead of what was in my own heart?

I said a quick prayer then asked, “Who wants a story?”  Three of my children gathered around to hear an inspiring Christmas tale.  As we snuggled, our hearts filled and spilled with love, patience, forgiveness, selflessness, and gratitude.  The Spirit of Christmas, which is the Spirit of Christ, was back.

To you and yours this holiday season, I wish you hearts full of peace, love, and joy.

Home For The Holidays

When I was single and living in Calgary, travelling home for the holidays meant an eight-hour journey through the Rockies into British Columbia.

The first year I took this trip, I put my life in my brother’s hands.  He put me in an old Chevy with a leaky radiator.  It was minus twenty-five and we crawled into Nanton just as the car died.  With cardboard in the grill we continued on, detouring around a twenty-one-car pile up, then creeping up and sliding down Kootenay Pass.  We arrived home after midnight, cold and exhausted.

The return trip was even worse.  Kootenay Pass was closed so we had to take the ferry which, due to high winds, was shut down right after we crossed.  Then we found ourselves stuck in a snow bank on a nearly deserted road.  Fortunately, three big guys in a pickup truck lifted us out.  We continued to Fernie where we spent the night trying to get warm.

The next year I took the bus.  It was a holiday-crowded overnighter and my seatmate was a clean lumberjack-look-alike whose legs were too long for the seat.  When I awoke, I apologized for using him as a pillow.  He said, “That’s okay, you can sleep on me anytime.”

You never know what might happen on a bus.  My dad learned this in 1961 when a large, white-haired woman wearing a red coat boarded and the drunks in the back began to sing Here Comes Santa Claus.  Luckily the woman wasn’t offended and the passengers enjoyed the moment.

However you choose to travel this holiday season, I hope you do so safely.  If you drive, why not tuck a shovel, candle, matches, blanket, and extra drinking water in the back seat?

Season’s Greetings, Merry Christmas, and Safe Travels to you and yours!

Holiday Traditions or Traps

Last week I suggested that if our To Do lists were making us cranky, we should simplify them.

Easier said than done, I know.

The holidays are filled with traditions.  In fact, isn’t that one of the reasons we especially love this time of year?  As wonderful as traditions are, however, they’re also the leading cause of lengthy To Do lists.

Why do we continue with traditions that no longer fill a need and just make us busy?

My sister, who doesn’t enjoy cooking, spent hours one year preparing and serving a traditional turkey dinner.  Thirty minutes later we finished eating and faced another hour of kitchen clean up.  My sister leaned back in her chair and said, “Next year we’re having pizza.”

As a child, I loved ambrosia salad (fruit, coconut, and mini marshmallows stirred into sour cream) for breakfast on Christmas morning, so I continued this tradition when I had my own family – until I realized that marshmallows hurt my teeth and made my children crazy.

Now, instead of ambrosia, we have a hearty breakfast of eggs and bacon, waffles, and orange juice.  This is a treat we all enjoy and it allows me to prepare just two meals on Christmas instead of three.  It’s a new tradition that works well for us.

Of course, there are traditions that involve more than food, but as we plan our holiday calendars and make our To Do lists this year, let’s ask ourselves:  Is this a worthwhile tradition that’s important to me, or a trap that I’m stuck in?

If the latter, it’s okay to say, “That tradition is done; it’s time for a new one.”

Deck The Halls Tutorial

This Friday marks an important moment in time:  One Month Until Christmas.

According to Facebook, some show-offs have already finished their Christmas shopping.  Others are calmly waiting until December 24^th to get started.  Most of us are probably somewhere in between, and our frantic list-making has begun.

But why stress about holiday prep when there’s a Christmas carol that tells us all we need to do?

Deck the halls with boughs of holly.  When the urge strikes, get out those decorations!  Enjoy the wreaths and candles and glittering lights sparkling against the tinsel on the tree.

‘Tis the season to be jolly.  Smile and spread the joy!  If your To Do lists are making you cranky, simplify them.

Don we now our gay apparel.  Wear it!  Now is the only time of year when we can get away with wearing those gaudy sweaters, Santa Claus ties, and earrings that look like tree baubles.

Troll the ancient Yuletide carol.  Sing!  Whether with a group of carolers, during a church service, or online with Bing Crosby and Elvis Presley, singing will fill our hearts with Christmas cheer.

The Fa-la-la-la-las I haven’t quite figured out.  I think they might be a reminder of holiday party behaviour for those who overindulge.  Beware!

So, now we’re decorated, dressed, smiling, and singing.  What more do we need?  Maybe some figgy pudding (other songs have good ideas too) and – oh yes – the most important advice of all:  taking time to tell of Yuletide treasure.  This means different things to different people.  For my family, it’s celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ.

Joy to the world - Christmas is on its way!