The Twelfth Day of Christmas: Fini?
This is not the end, but the Feast is over.
Well, we did it, y’all. We wrote our way through the twelve days of Christmastide. Thank you for sticking with me. I appreciate it more than you know.
This is the Twelfth Day. The end. It’s over. You might leave your decorations up until Candlemas, but this is when the Christmas season comes to a close. I’ll be putting the holiday mugs away this weekend. It’s time to rediscover a little normalcy.
Pray for those that trouble you. Hold close those who uphold you.
Tomorrow is The Feast of The Epiphany. It is a principal feast of the Episcopal Church, immovable, fixed. We’re supposed to honor it on the day of, but many communities will move it to Sunday. It’s just more fun than the Baptism of Christ. Ha!
For me, today feels like the final hour of a great party. Most of the guests have gone home. Only a handful of your most treasured friends remain. Perhaps they have had too much nog and are letting time and coffee do their magic. We’ll start to tidy up. Maybe we’ll clean tonight, but most likely, we’ll wait for the morning to do the dishes. There’s no hurry to move on. In fact, we’re just going to sit here in the languorous light of the tree and sit a spell. Breathe it in.
Once upon a time, I used to get to this point and want to kick the whole damed thing to the curb. You know the feeling of elation that comes when you put the desiccated husk of the fir in the dumpster, tinsel glittering in the mottled sunshine? That. I really wanted it to end. I wanted it to be over days before. I cannot tell you what changed for me. But something inside myself gave way.
Maybe I lowered my expectations of my friends and family. Maybe I started seeing the season as a marathon and not a sprint. Maybe I just grew older and slowed down. I cannot say, but something shifted. Now, I miss the feast when it ends. I mourn it a little. I know it will return next year, but for now, I’ll bask in the festival afterglow. God is good.
Enjoy your Twelfth Night. Pray for those that trouble you. Hold close those who uphold you. Bless yourself with what brings you peace. And thank you for spending your holiday with me.
Be excellent to each other.
So, what’s next? I don’t know. But I would love your input. Posting daily really worked, but it’s a lot. But maybe there are other options. Let me know your thoughts by responding to the poll below. Thanks!
I originally was posting weekly, but have discerned this internal expectation was adding to my anxiety. My current goal is to focus on quality rather than schedule. My memory is that you have been posting at least once a week, sometimes just a few paragraphs, and that seems to work well for you. I’ll follow your writing, regardless.
I am but a faraway observer, but it strikes me that you are one who thrives on a regular structure, and clear expectations that you are allowed to probe and question but not abandon. On this basis I suggest thrice weekly. Try it and see if you like it?