Enjoying the Process: Erica on Celebrating Winter

Yesterday I had a unique and an incredibly special day.  Hans was away most of the day making people joyful and merry at two performances of Christmas Carol–again.  My two year old said, “I miss Daddy,” twice yesterday.  We’re all missing Daddy.

So, instead of feeling sorry for myself and trying to entertain two kids inside all day we called our friend Beth, whose holiday plans had been cancelled because of the storm.  She came over and we baked all day.  I have never had so much fun doing so much baking in one day, in  my life.  We made dozens of cookies, four loaves of fantastically yummy pumpkin cranberry bread, started a squash soup, and baked a lasagna.  It was a flurry of flour, happy kids singing and dancing to Christmas music, a little bit of wine, hot herbal tea, and joy of the season of giving–and eating.  I loved every minute of it.  

We talked about how our culture has lost something very special that we don’t do these tasks, which would have felt like work if I had done it alone, together.  (Who am I kidding, I wouldn’t have done it all, if I had to do it alone.)

I think this year, I have discovered the joy of the season in these busiest of times.   Enjoying the process.   The process is so much better when you do it with music, with dancing, with a smile on your face, and, most importantly, when you do it with friends.

This piece originally appeared as a comment on The Festival of Lights.