Holidays

I tried something new this year for the holidays. I remember how excited I used to be as a child - the good cheer I could feel in the air around Christmas (my mother was Jewish, my father Lutheran, but it was my mother's idea to bring me up with Christmas!), the palapable excitement of taking my truly puny allowance and buying presents for my family and one or two friends.

One image stands out - an intricately carved Indian box with white inlay on the top my friend Andy gave me one year when I was 9 or 10 - it was redolent of magic and mystery. And I remember going to the 5 and 10 and picking out a turtle brooch with a red rhinestone eye for my mother and being really excited. I don't know if she ever wore it, but it was in her jewelry box when she died.

I miss that excitement. So I had an idea. This year, I have noticed to my chagrin that there are way fewer holiday lights bedecking the houses in my town in general, and on my street in particular.  I love holiday lights.  They cheer the dark winter nights and warm the hearts of passersby. They are a gift to all of us from the homeowners.  So I decided to let the neighbors on my block who put up holiday decorations know how much their effort was appreciated by leaving an anonymous thank you note and small gift at each doorstep to be discovered Christmas morning.  The idea of a mystery present and saying thank you to these generous people filled me with the old holiday anticipation and excitement - I was on a secret mission for Santa!

While I was doing some "touch-up" shopping for my family on Monday, I picked up four pretty but, to put it delicately, thrifty notebooks, along with four glittery gift bags and glittery tissue paper.  I wrote a note thanking each household for the holiday lights that brightened the street, the season, and our spirits, and tucked it into the bags, and then, last night, Christmas eve, around 1 am,  I ventured out, gleaming gift bags on my wrist, and quietly tiptoed up the steps of the four decorated houses to leave my gifts. As I left each present at the front door, I felt some of the innocent excitement I had felt as a child at giving someone a surprise gift. (I was also quite relieved not to hear sirens as the police responded to reports of a prowler scoping out front porches in the neighborhood!)

I felt satisfied and happy as I walked home in the snow, sheltered overhead by the stars shining in the bright, clear night sky. It felt like Christmas.