By Liz, looking forward to all the upcoming holiday festivities! Today we’re talking about holiday cheer – because who doesn’t need a lot of that right now, right? So tell me, Wickeds, how have you spread holiday cheer this season? Or have you been on the receiving end of some holiday cheer?
Julie: I will confess, I’m late to the spreading cheer efforts this year. I spent some time at my parents’ summer house, and didn’t get home until mid-month. I’m thinking that New Years may be where my efforts lay this year. Today is the birthday of my nieces, two of my favorite people on earth, so I’ll be spreading some cheer with them over Zoom later today.
Edith/Maddie: Happy birthday to the girls, Julie! I made rum balls and Mexican Bridecakes and got them sent off to son #2 in Puerto Rico. That was a major cheer-spreading effort since my hand still isn’t up to full holiday baking. I have more ready to give to #1 son and his wife when the weather allows us to meet up outdoors for some Christmas cheer.
Barb: I baked my usual cookies, doing a fair amount of math to cut the batches. Then Bill and I drove around the area dropping off small tins to friends, which is what passes for a “fun outing” 2020-style. I also did my usual cards and Christmas letter. The card order was hung up at the company due to covid protocols and shipping issues. For a while it looked like they would be Valentines cards. Watching as the estimated delivery date was pushed back day after day sent me spiraling. Bill and I have an expression for these occasions, “It’s not about the dishes,” ie it’s a free-floating frustration that has latched onto a specific event. It was never about the cards. But they did show up and have been sent out and may arrive at their destinations sometime in the “Christmas era.”
Liz: I haven’t done much cheer-spreading either, Julie! But I do love buying gifts for the people in my building – our property manager and our facilities director who work so hard all year long. I gave them chocolates and gift cards for coffee (what else??). Usually I add the guys who valet park at our garage to the list, but sadly, they haven’t had any work since the start of the pandemic. Hoping they’ll return to the job soon so I can give them so “happy to see you” gifts!
Sherry: I put my Santa Claus collection out earlier than normal this year and our very minimal outside lights. We will stick with our usual Christmas Eve routine of eating pizza and driving around to look at lights. Although we may have to do that a night early because it is supposed to rain. We watched Die Hard last night for our first Christmas movie.
Jessie: I love all your ideas for spreading cheer! One of the things that make me feel festive is to pot up paper white narcissus and amaryllis bulbs hoping they will burst into bloom for the holiday season. This year is coming along beautifully for both! I also love making seasonal cookies with my kids. One of my beloved sisters sent me a surprise advent calendar that she filled with sachets of delicious seasonal teas and so many mini skeins of yummy sock yarn! It was so thoughtful of her!
Readers, what about you? How have you spread holiday cheer this season? Tell us in the comments below.
Maybe you don’t realize, but you’ve been spreading cheer to your readings throughout the year. We love your books – bonus great escape from reality this year. Also, all the time you spend with us, here on the blog and on Facebook, and with your giveaways and virtual events has been a blessing. I thank you all and Happy Holidays!
Thank you, Renee!
We put up our Christmas decorations early. And we did Christmas cookies, although like Barb, not as many as prior years (our diet couldn’t handle it!).
We still follow the tradition my Mom started of so many years ago of sharing the bounty of the kitchen with goodies boxes filled with all the holiday treats we make. I think this year it was more important than ever to bring a little cheer to folks with something yummy for the tummy. Delivery has been different this year with most deliveries left on a porch due to social distancing both for their safety and ours. I do miss the hugs and the face to face time, but if we can put a smile of their face, I’ll be happy with that this year. By giving away so many of the goodies, it’s a good thing for us too. One we are able to make a wider array of goodies because they aren’t all staying here. And two if they were all here, I’d have to eat them to keep them from wasting (you know that saying your heard all you life waste not – want not) and then the doctors and the door frames would surely complain. 🙂
2clowns at arkansas dot net
When I was little, before I understood “being in want” v. “I want that”, my interpretation of “waste not, want not” was: if you don’t waste some of it, you surely didn’t want it very much. Happy sharing.,
I am home for 6 weeks this holiday season, as the University where I work is student less until mid January, so I decided to slow everything down and enjoy the card writing, gift wrapping and baking. I move to a new place in March, there are only four apartments and my landlord and his family, my sister lives literally next door, everyone has been so distantly friendly and helpful so I am filling tons with baked items to hand out, then I need to sneak next door and fill stockings. That has definitely added to the enjoy of this holiday!
I love “distantly friendly” – as it should be!
I agree with Renee that you Wickeds have been giving us cheer all through 2020 with your books, Thank You!
Wish I had thought of Jessie’s sister’s idea with the Advent calendar. I am filing that away for next year. We did send our cards to all those on our list and gave shelled pecans to our neighbors for their holiday baking. It was an easy choice for gifts since a charitable organization I belong to that gives scholarships was selling the pecans as a fund raiser, a real win-win for gift giving. I just read a quote about Christmas from Bob Hope (comedian and actor): “My idea of Christmas, whether old fashion or modern, is very simple: loving others. Come to think of it, why do we have to wait for Christmas to do that?”
Meeting with people has always been my way of spreading cheer, so I’m pretty limited this year. I did make sure to put out all the Christmas lights on the bushes. We are one of only a couple of houses on this block who bother anymore. I wanted to brighten up the neighborhood a bit. I’m looking forward to reading The Night Before Christmas to our 50-year old daughter via Zoom. We’ll sit on her bed and put the iPad on her pillow and read it the way we always do when she comes here for Christmas. We’re making do and refusing to get down.
We have given gifts to several children whose names were found on local sites like angel trees. I found the perfect gift for a best friend delivered this morning. I love seeing the faces of those I really tried to find perfect gifts.
I can’t think of two much out of the ordinary here. Christmas movies watched. Presents bought and wrapped.
We’re doing our same ol’ stuff as far as Christmas cheer.. Y’all have been spreading cheer all year long for all us readers & I thank-you all for that!! Merriest, Blessed, Safe Christmas &New Year to you all & yours!! xoxoxo
I made sure this year to add a comfort scent with my gifts that I mailed out. I ask my mother, sister, and friends what type of scents comfort them. I used Bath and Body Works because one person like Citrus, another one Vanilla, Orange, Eucalyptus and Strawberry. So this year it was a hand soap and hand lotion, a lip balm as well. So more of a comfort type of gift for each person. We already have our stockings up on the fireplace mantel and a small live tree (which we can plant afterwards) with the presents around it. We will be calling everyone on Christmas and I mailed out the Christmas cards. So we will have a nice small yet cozy Christmas at home.