Soon it will be Christmas Day

Friday, Mom called me at work.

“Hi Vig. It’s Mom. What are you up to this evening?”

“We are going to dinner with friends, then to a show. Why? What’s up?,” I said.

“Oh well,” she said, a newfound sadness in her voice that I hope I don’t have to get used too.

“What about tomorrow?,” I offered.

“Well. . . I have choir rehearsal in the afternoon for the ‘Hanging of the Green’,” she said. “Would you be willing to do it in the morning?”

Oh, I should tell you that I didn’t get a tree up last year. Mmm hmm. Yeah. She was not happy with me at all. Another time, a few years ago, I dragged in the tree that Rolf and Bemmy and bought weeks before, set it up, and threw a set of white net lights on it and called it done. You would have thought I’d slapped my mother in the face when she found out. So the next year, my family is my guest for Thanksgiving. And dag-on if Mama didn’t walk in and look at the food and say “Why, it looks like everything is under control in here. Why don’t you let Joy, Shannon, and I get started on your tree.” Whatever. It turned out what they created was more long-lasting than just a beautiful tree; the many fond memories of their discovery of each ornament they unpacked, the joyful sounds I remember as I basted the turkey, made it a day to treasure.

Well, I was busy last year, with plans for my directorial debut of Ruthless! The Musical mostly. I managed to get the artificial tree and boxes of ornaments out of the attic, and the furniture rearranged, the tree assembled . . . and one or two strands of lights that broke. Yeah. The tree was never finished, the boxes never put away until the day after Christmas when we packed it all up for another try this year.

This year didn’t get off to the start I anticipated either. Plan was: outdoor lights up by Halloween (not on, just up), Christmas Cards, and only 50 out by last weekend. . SHITFUCKSTRESSDAMNWHATTHEFUCKEVER

Anyway, Joy gave me a lighted tree that her soon-to-be-ex-husband had gotten last year. My new plan was basically to put it in the bay window in the living room, the lights through the window being the only outside decorations . . .but the damn thing was too tall. The end. I’m really getting tired of Christmas all the stress stupid requirements have to look good be sociable buy stuff receive stuff I don’t want need or store go to my in-laws fuck fuckdk

So, back to the funtimes. (It’s Wednesday Morning now, and I’m not having a good day.) I’ll try this again later.

O come, Thou Day-spring, come and cheer
Our spirits by Thine advent here;
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night,
And death’s dark shadows put to flight.

Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.