1. You have to get out of bed, and there’s no holiday or festival, there’s only everyday.
2. The Poinsettia plant is blooming its glorious red but you have to hide her somewhere.
3. There is still leftover lechon in the fridge. And cake.
4. You don’t know how to explain to your 7 year old why St. Nick hasn’t sent her snow for the 2nd year in a row, even when she had handwritten her letter this year.
5. You’re pondering about that gift that looks quite nice but isn’t you. The White Elephant sale is a year hence, and you don’t want to hurt feelings.
6. Your house has to strip off all semblance of Christmas. The lanterns won’t be lighted, the ornaments return to their boxes, the red goes back to drab brown, and the star has to come down.
As though Christmas waved a magic wand and behold, everything glows.
Except today, you have to get out of bed, and it’s no longer Christmas, it’s your everyday. And so you ask yourself how you could keep Christmas all the year, and let it live as you journey around the sun.
And so with all things, we say goodbye. Take down stars. Dim the lights. Put things back where they belong. Have less red. Unwrap gifts, use and share them. (Or return to sender.) Eat less cake. Settle down. Resolve. Return. Get up. And live our ordinary everyday. Keeping the memory that was Christmas; our hearts lit up, ourselves a star.
A Happy New Year!
The Girl and the Grail 