And to all, a Good Night and Better Tomorrow

It's snowing today.  Tomorrow is Christmas 2012.  As with many out there, this Christmas will be a "lean" one, materially.  There won't be as many presents under the tree, and those that are there won't be as nice or expensive as "Santa" might have wanted.  Most grown-ups will understand this.  Unfortunately, there are those that are younger and still innocent that will not appreciate the hardships and sacrifices that others have made so that there will be something "under the tree" for them.  I have had a few "lean" Christmases over the years.  I remember one year, as a single parent, where I couldn't afford even a small Charlie-Brown-sized tree.  I had some decorations and ornaments, my "share" from a failed marriage, but nothing to put them on.  I had what seemed like "miles" of green tinsel garland in my box of Christmas stuff.  So I made my own tree.

In my little basement apartment, there was a swag hook in the ceiling.  Apparently I was supposed to hang a lamp on it.  I didn't have a lamp.  So I took the green garland, anchored it to the carpet, and ran it up to the hook in the ceiling.  I repeated this process, looping from the floor to the ceiling until I had a thin pyramid shape that kinda looked like a tree.  I hung a few ornaments on it, and my decorating was complete.  Now, what to put "under" it?

My sons were still fairly young, and the thing they wanted most was a Nintendo.  Not the fancy-schmancy game systems that are out now, just a plain, first-generation Nintendo.  I managed to find one (they were a hot item that year) and wrapped it up for them.  But having to "share" a gift can take some of the "sparkle" out of the Christmas spirit.  And, with the game system only having one game with it, I feared they would grow tired of it quickly.  So I found a couple of used games and wrapped them up as well.  I don't remember whether or not each of them got "their own" game, but they ended up more than one game to play.  They were young enough, and excited enough by the Nintendo that they didn't mind that they had to play with it on my "loaned" black and white portable television.  I enjoyed that Christmas, in spite of the sparse surroundings and the garland "tree" in the corner.  I can actually look back on it and smile.

This year, I have instructed everyone to not spend any money on me, to not buy me anything for Christmas.  I hope that they listened.  I have said it in previous years, and ended up with presents anyway.  But this year I mean it.  It is one of the leanest Christmases to date.  However, we do have a tree.  I got it out of the attic yesterday, and I'll set it up today.  Probably take it down soon, it may not last until New Year's.  I don't know yet. 

One of the (many) reasons it is so lean this year is where we live.  I love it out here.  We are away from the hustle and bustle and sirens and drive-by shootings of the big City.  It's ten miles to the grocery store, and farther to most everything else.  That is also the reason we don't have any money.  All of our money seems to go into the gas tank.  I recently joined a car pool with other people from my work.  We originally took turns driving for a week at a time, and have since changed to alternating days, so no one has to log 360 miles in a week on their vehicle.  However, if I get taken to the pick-up point (the grocery store) and dropped off, that means I also have to be picked up at the end of the day.  Let's see, ten miles to the grocery, ten miles back, any errands that might crop up, ten miles back to the grocery, pick me up, and ten miles home.  That still puts 40 miles minimum through the exhaust pipe.  It's only 72 miles round-trip to work and back.  I'm not saving much by carpooling.  So we are going to fix that.  Next month, we will move into an apartment complex "behind" the grocery store.  I will be able to walk, in a matter of minutes, to the pickup point for the carpool, thereby saving 40 miles a day when it is not "my" day to drive.  Plus, it is a brand-new building, and should have affordable utility bills.  Hopefully that will also offset the slightly higher rent.  And we had to pay a deposit, so that money was not available for Christmas as well. 

But, we will make it through this Christmas, as we have in the past.  We will have a White Christmas, if what I see by looking out the window is any indication.  We will remember past Christmases, and plan for future ones, tell ourselves (again) that this year we will shop all through the year so it's not one big hit all at once, and next year will be better.

I wish all of you the Merriest of Christmases, and the most Prosperous and Happiest New Year.