This Jew loves Christmas

How could I do it? How could I reboot Fivelspiel with this post?! Oy, I would have a lot of explaining to do, if I had any readers. As an adult I have begun to appreciate Chunukah, and "Happy Holidays!" is fine, but my heart loves Christmas. Despite that most damn UUs are just as Christophobic as most Jews, Christmas is what led me to UU. But that's another story. How do I savor Christmas? Let me count the ways. I used to write letters. Were they long? What do you think? Some people called them epistles. They weren't merely a recount of the year's adventures. They were my best attempt to give my heart. I have been solo most years. My gift to myself and those I love has been to reach out with love. Christmas cards, too. It's been years since I've done that., although every year I say "this year right after Thanksgiving, I'm going to..." I always always make it to at least one Christmas concert. I always watch a Christmas movie, one that makes me cry. It's the tenderness, the extraordinary tals of people extending themselves, and remembering what is really important in life. It's the break through the ice or more accurately the ossifying, the hardening of heart. The healing of hard feelings that leads us to live with great distance between ourselves and family members, even when they live across town or under the same roof. These help me to try one more time. One more time with "him".. I will stretch to find a way to find the tenderness. Christmas movies are good for that. Talked to my mom tonight, tenderness and tears there. I'm surprised and glad she has stayed around this long. I can't imagine what it will be like when she is gone. And Christmas music, OY! A couple of times in my life, I accumulated quite a collection. These days there are Holiday music channels on tv, radio, satellite radio, and computer. And I listen to as much of it as I can. Oh, over the years I started getting into Chanukah a bit too. Most of my life,.. not so much. As for Solstice, man those Christians were smart to put Christmas at this time! I love bringing in the evergreen. Better yet is outdoor rituals. I love woods all the time, but in December they speak to me of Christmas. For me Christmas is where its at. There is no other holiday that even begins to come close to it's beauty and power. I miss having a congregation most at Christmas. The Christmas eve service I led for 6 years in SA was like none other. They were created by an interfaith community. There was heart felt sharing of traditions, homegrown music, crafted into the shape of Christmas There were special traditions in San Antonio, like Posadas. .. but I don't really miss SA... just Stephanie, and Michael, and Huyen.... and...quite a few others..