Anyone Else still have their Tree Up? We are 75% through the Season… Only Three Days remaining. Work is Beckoning, Even Carping that we have been away So Long. How can we be So Irresponsible! One might argue that the Care and Replenishment of the Soul is the Most Responsible we can be to Our Work, Our Selves, and Our Community. In these last few days as Activities begin to subside (Well, except that I was up until 4:30am Baking last night), We are given over to Reflection. Reflection might be the Bridge from the Christmas Holiday To Keeping the Christmas Spirit throughout the Year ahead… All that we need is the Willingness to build that Bridge And then Crossing it will be the most Natural thing in the World… It was once suggested to me, Wisely, When asking Children, “What was the Favorite Gift you Got this Christmas?” To also ask, “What was the Favorite Gift you Gave this Christmas?” In this way, we plant a seed about the importance of Giving and help them to a more Rich and Rewarding Life. Over the years, I have seen Children jump to answer the first Question with Great Enthusiasm And Pause at the Second, really needing to think about it. I have always considered this Giving Them Pause a Great Gift to them, in and of itself. I ask myself the same Question, Every year, as the Twelve Days of Christmas begin to wind down. This year, I am quite humbled by my own response. The Best Gift I received… There is no way to choose one. I am really quite embarrassed by the plethora of Riches. It’s Ridiculous, really! If they weren’t all So Profoundly Meaningful, I would consider it a case of Affluenza! To pick one Favorite is not possible. And it is only with the greatest Humility that I share this. But is it the Magical Present Patch sent from our Friends in California? Yes because we got to open countless Magical Gifts together on Skype, and share the Celebration of Childlike Wonder that Awakens our Souls to Christmas Like being Kids together on Christmas Morning… Was it my Sister making by Hand a Quilt out of all my old T-Shirts that tell the History of My Life! Have you Ever Seen anything So Beautiful! She is a Master CraftsPerson! Wanna’ hear Something Crazy? She already Made one for me a few Years ago out of a different pile of My Old T-Shirts… The Art of Quilting involves Different Patterns which mean Different things about Community and Lifestyle and History… Except My Life is the Subject of these Quilts. I do not know how to say, “Thank You!” for a Gift like this… For the Hours and the Time and the Love And to her Son, My Nephew, who Designed the Signature Patch There are No Words for how Loved this kind of Generosity can make a person feel. Was it the Ticket to FUN HOME with which my Friend surprised me? YES! Because in a World when we have way to Little Time together, we have a Date for April to enjoy a Broadway Show Together (with my Favorite Theater-Going Partner!) Was it the Pajamas from my Partner’s Father? Yes! What a Journey this man has made! From not accepting us at all To his Wife Dying Earlier this Year To sending us the Christmas Pajamas his Wife used to send us And Honoring Us and Her in this way… Was it the Plane Ticket my Friends Gifted us to see one another (My Partner lives amidst the TreeHouses of the Pacific NorthWest, living his DreamJob, and I am here working in New York — we go back and forth Every Month and the Travel Expenses are Steep. So they gave us a Flight to see one another.)? Yes! Because time Together is the Most Important Thing! And I Love Them for their Thoughtfulness in Recognizing That! Was it the Trillion Gifts Santa Left under the Tree? YES! Was it the Bottles of Gourmet Olive Oil and Amazon Gift Cards and TENNESSE WILLIAMS new Biography by JOHN LAHR and the Magic Christmas Music PlayList sent to me on the Ninth Day of Christmas that I am Listening to as I write this? YES! Was it My GrandMother’s Rolling Pin that my Cousin Bestowed to me, after Reading My Blog about MOM’s Pizza Pans? YES! My SECRET SANTA at Work Gave me a Gift Card to Boston Market for $100! (There was a $10 Limit.) But SECRET SANTA explained that the Card was being regifted to me, after Reading this Blog and Learning that I work with the Homeless LGBT Kids at My Church. And, Thanks to SECRET SANTA’s Generosity, we were Able to Provide them all with Christmas Dinner! To have done that kind of research on someone… To have made that large a sacrifice for those less fortunate… I really didn’t receive a Gift this year that was not a Favorite. I was bowled over by a Tsunami of Love! But The Top of this List of Favorites? Him Coming Home for Christmas: And Meeting my New GrandNiece for the Very First Time:

Amelia

Amelia and Uncle Arnie

What were your Favorite Gifts You Received this Christmas? As for Giving, My Gifts Given, I am embarrassed to say that they were way more Humble than what I received. Though Again, No Particular One Favorite, I gave MOM a Mug that says, “I’m a Great GrandMother and Don’t You Forget It!” (Since she just became a Great-GrandMother (See Baby AMELIA, above.))

Me and Mom and her New Mug

I gave my Brother a Shirt which read, “PROUD OJISAN” (Japanese for ‘GrandFather’). I was SO Excited to find this Gift! Turns out that OJISAN (with One “i”) actually means “Uncle” OJIISAN (with two “i’s”) means “GrandFather.” Redid it with a Custom Made and had it shipped to him after Christmas. Imperfect Giving. From an Imperfect Giver. We gave a Certain Pre-Teen Girl a Make-Up Bag that says, “LOVE WHO YOU ARE” Great Message! I gave my Nephew a Book I’d Read A Favorite of Mine by a Favorite Author HELP THANKS WOW By ANNE LAMOTT. It took Courage to give something that I’d read already and that was Given to Me as a Gift, And to Pass it Along Simply Because I Loved what it had to say and I thought it would be Meaningful to him. To not worry that it would be perceived as “Used” or “Second Hand” Or judged as “Cheap” or “Thoughtless” But to Trust that he would know the place in my Heart from Whence it Came And for me to find that I Loved him enough to unearth that Courage And that I Loved the Person who had given it to me enough to know that it would please her if she ever found out that it happened. I Gave One of My Favorite Scorpios a Framed Print which only a fellow-Scorpio could truly appreciate. It reads, “There is a Palace that Opens only to Tears.” And we gave a Fabulous Friend a Large and Luxuriant Chandelier Ornament from BARNEY’s. Her Response; “Darling, I Love My Gift! But where is the Other Earing!???” I gave several Laminated SARK Posters — I cannot imagine Anyone not being delighted to receive Anything SARK! The Joy she brings to the World is often part of our Holiday Giving! The Favorite Gift I Gave: Decorating our Home for my Partner. It Took Five Days. It’ll take another Three to get it all down and away again. But it was his First Christmas without his MOM And I wanted him to know that he still has Christmas And Everything she gave to him and instilled in him Is with Him And here to be Enjoyed…

Long Walk Part of Gift

What were your Favorites this year?

Day Ten

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