My mom planned around being the Christmas island of misfit toys. If you didn’t have a place to go or if your family left you frazzled, she’d have a snack and a beer waiting.
Tag: Christmas
Inside Out and Mama Gena gave me timely reminders that the whole range of human emotions is valid. Even at holiday time.
An article on Business Insider headlined “A neuroscience researcher reveals 4 rituals that will make you happier” summarizes some key findings of UCLA neuroscience researcher Alex Korb and his book The Upward Spiral.
Christmas can be stressful for a lot of people. Maybe your mother nags you, your sibling gets on your last nerve, the kids are hopped up on sugar and new toys … maybe all of the above? But for this one day, can you step away from email, social media and Candy Crush to just be in the moment? If…
Throughout this year, several bloggers will engage in a conversation here and on their blogs — asking questions of each other and responding. Others are absolutely welcome to join the conversation, as well. Learn more about the ladies of Blogversation 2012. Today’s question comes from Eleanor Traubman, Creative Times, @creativetimes on Twitter: If you could wave a magic wand and…
My mother died 10 years ago, and though the passage of time has eased the pain, I still miss her a lot, especially so this weekend. So in honor of Mom, here’s an essay I wrote in 2001 as I approached my first Christmas after her death. Each year at Christmastime, I have readied myself for the unwelcome addition of…
We took our Christmas tree down last weekend, and I think that’s got to be one of the saddest rituals of the year. When we decorate the tree in December, we’re preparing for a fun-filled season of celebrations. Taking the tree down is not only a less fun chore, it’s also the physical reminder that all that socializing and holiday…
Spoiler alert: This post discusses the existence of Santa Claus. If you, like me, might find this disturbing, you might want to go watch Rudolph and skip this one. When I was maybe 5 years old, Santa came to my dad’s house. We were sitting around on Christmas Eve when the back door opened and Santa waltzed in carrying a…
Holiday season is upon us, and with it comes numerous sources of stress: The search for the perfect gift. The pressure to throw the perfect party. Worries about whether long-simmering family tensions will boil over at the dinner table. Instead of Norman Rockwell scenes of snow-dusted bliss, my dad, the retired cop, tells blood-curdling stories of domestic scenes on Christmas…