One of my favorite non-religious holiday songs is "Over the River and Through the Woods...." That song resonated with me as a child because we lived over a hundred miles from either of my grandmothers. We usually visited for at least one of the holidays--Thanksgiving or Christmas. To get there in the olden days of my childhood there were not interstates. There were 2 lane highways and shortcuts on "hard roads" that went over rivers and through woods.
Since my mother was an elementary teacher and my dad liked to sing, we always sang that song as one of the selections as we sped along toward "grandma's house." We didn't drive a horse. Usually it was a Ford station wagon. The light and drifted snow in the song was not on order by my parents, but I remember being thrilled on the rare occasion that those words were realized.
Recently, I found a pattern for a pillow cover in a quilting magazine that quotes "over the river and through the woods." Generally I don't do sewing projects for holidays. I am just not fast. I am slow. It took me decades to finish a lovely tree skirt from Creative Circle (remember them, I bet they aren't in business anymore). But, this project is small. I am working on it quickly. I hope to have it done by the time Christmas comes.
The past two years I did family Christmas things on Christmas Eve and I ended up entirely alone on Christmas. I thought I would be okay with it, but I found it depressing. This year I doubt very much that I will even go to church. My prayer last year was that I wouldn't be alone at Christmas in 2020. This year with the pandemic it seemed that alone might be the only choice.
But, recently my daughter in law offered to bring the family over on Christmas. Or if I preferred, I could go there. I am invited to their house for Thanksgiving. We are in each other's bubble because I watch the grandchildren. I am the only one they feel safe with. I will have them come here. It will be a reason to decorate. And I hope to have some new pillow covers.
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