Savoring my Christmas wish list – what’s yours?

It’s Christmas in my home.  This started when I put out my tree, trimmed it with colorful and shimmering balls, then lights, and voila!  Next, I hung the evergreen wreath on the door (really ever, ever green because the large ornament is a lovely replica of pine leaves and branches glued to a ring).  Replaced the batteries, and voila, twinkling lights!  The Christmas spirit is rife in the air.  And I love it.

A Christmas tree mirrored on the glass wall, and a sparkly wreath on the door (photos by Linda PJ)

With the Christmas spirit comes my Christmas wish ,list.  Do you have one?  For the fun of it, I’m going to whip out mine and share it with you.

Top of the list – no more virus scare or COVID – so that life can trudge back to the real normal.  Wouldn’t it be nice to be able to gather again with family, loved ones and friends, to celebrate the season?  But while such isn’t yet the reality and the need to be cautious is wisdom, then  gather virtually and make use of the graciousness and cleverness of technology.  Virtual get-togethers and chats are so popular that it’s senseless not to take advantage of the social media.  A good enough substitute for personal face-to-face meetups.  So, still top of my list – celebrating Christmas and New Year with family, relatives and friends on zoom or video chat.

Food never lags far behind on my list.  I would like my Christmas day lunch to be the same as my Thanksgiving lunch.  For Thanksgiving, instead of the traditional turkey-fest at home, I enjoyed a crab-fest with two friends.  One cooked a delicious quiche that ended up being my Thanksgiving dinner faire.  The other made a gentle pale custard that wiggled and quickly melted in the mouth when eaten.  Not to forget were some robust pork ribs lightly barbecued and broiled to an appetizing zest.  To add to my Christmas feast, I would opt for a generous chunk of salmon freshly baked from the oven, glistening with a light touch of butter, a sprinkle of olive oil, and a teasing splash of red pepper.

And ah — since my birthday is very close to Christmas, I will indulge in craving for crispy fried calamari spiced with a dash of peppery salt and lifted with a squeeze of aromatic lemon juice.  Absolute ambrosia for a baby boomer’s birthday.  Yes, that qualifies to be on my Christmas wish list, too!

Since I pretty much stay at home during these shelter-in times, and though I do some remote work from home, I normally am in very casual attire, meaning not dressed up for  going out at all.  House clothes being the usual, I don’t long for a new blouse, or dress, or pair of shoes. I don’t dote on jewelry except for a cute little necklace I like wearing for sentimental reasons, so jewelry is not on my Christmas list.  But there definitely is one item – a pair of warm, thick and softly padded slippers with a cushiony airy bottom to pamper my delicate soles.  Actually, my soles are not so delicate like a baby’s, but they want to be pampered. So, soft, extra comfortable slippers are near the top of my list, a blue pair that does not quickly erode with constant wear.

And, in the most jovial and loving spirit of Christmas – my wish list proclaims – may God our Father, through Jesus, shower His blessings to all!  A joyful, merry Christmas to all – and a very blessed, healthy and happy New Year, too!

Linda P. Jacob