Sincere Sparkle
December 22, 2006
By now you’ve probably geared up for the holidays with sense of sweet anticipation… or angst. Work parties, dinner with strangers we’re related to, and “what were you thinking?!” presents — it can be tricky to be sincere when you’re out of your comfort zone. But the holidays are, after all, an opportunity to give and to shine. And sincerity is a gift that positively glows.
THIS HOLIDAY: Intend to give some sincere sparkle. When you arrive for a get together, before you’re swept away in the chaos, hug the host, look them in the eye, and say something like, “we’re excited for the day.” When you mean it, it goes straight to the heart. If you get another lame present from Aunt Clara, find a way to adore her later in the day. While you’re clearing the dinner table, ask her what her favorite holiday memory is – she’ll be radiant in the telling of it. And when the guests are leaving, a simple, “we really love spending time with you,” will warm them all the way home. Long after the gift certificates are spent, it’s the genuine, sparkle-in-the-eye moments that become more luminous over time. Shine.
December 22, 2006 at 9:30 pm
I’m geared up for the holidays with panicked anxiety over all the things I’ve yet to do. My husband likes to leave the shopping until The Last Possible Minute and seems to thrive on the palpable sense of desperation in malls at this time of year.
In my fantasy Christmas, I’m snuggling my small daughters in front of the fireplace, gloating with satisfaction at the beautifully wrapped gifts – how perfect they are for the intended recipients, and how festive, yet sophisticated my house looks.
I must have had too much nogg because that ain’t the way it’s playing out. We don’t snuggle in front of the fire due to a latent fear of evicting a family of gangsta squirrels that inhabit our chimney. The baby has been sick all over her clothes, the washing machine gave up on life, and the gifts aren’t beautifully wrapped because my four-year-old insists on “helping”. (So what we really have is a collection of mismatched paper scraps, waaaay too much tape and some oddly placed rubber lizards because they’re “decoration”.) And they’re not the “perfect” gifts because….um, we’re a bit broke now that we need a new washing machine.
So where’s the sparkle in that?
Well, if I really think about it….that IS the sparkle.
The sparkle is in finding the sparkle.
Hey, squirrels gotta live somewhere, right? And we could always snuggle in front of the microwave. Our sick baby is just teething, and not spending Christmas in the hospital like countless other babies. There is enormous gratitude for that. The washing machine’s timing was sent to test me. Can I be the eye of the storm? My daughter is so proud at her gift-wrapping handiwork. And the lack of money makes us creative. Grandparents who have everything are delighted with the homemade noodle necklace, the uglier the better. What could be more special than that?
One day, my children will be grown, off somewhere living their lives. And I will be looking with longing at the beautifully wrapped the gifts – how much I’ll wish they were haphazardly taped together by earnest little fingers. And yes, my house will probably look festively sophisticated, and I’ll wish there was still Lego to trip over and noodle garlands on the tree.
These memories are starting to shine. They can only become more luminous in time.