Make a little magic
By PAT WICK
© Another Day in the Country
When I tumbled out of bed this morning, there were at least two different ways to look at our living room. The house was either a mess with glue guns, bent hangers, scraps of tinsel and fabric all over the floor, or it was filled with Christmas Magic.
On the edge of the dining room table are fragile angel wings stacked up and ready for attachment to little angelic girls in Ramona for our town nativity. These exquisite wings were made from the hangers that came on Tool Time Tim's work uniforms. He burned his finger twice on that glue gun as he helped make them.
On the mantle are two white stockings, hung with care. My daughter made them several years ago by hand — a Martha Stewart inspirational moment.
Standing on their own under all the clutter on the table are Sandra's delightful little snowmen that she made. We use them for a table centerpiece.
On the side table is Janet's magic star plate with still a few Christmas goodies scattered between all the crumbs. There's a backdrop of little potted poinsettias — pink, not red — that graced Mom's 86th birthday table earlier in the month and snowmen candles with their black hats dripping and tipping.
This is indeed a house filled with magical memories of Christmas coming and Christmas past. There's a cuckoo clock on the wall that Shawzee bought for Emily in a fit of Christmas zeal — it has to be wound every day and he didn't even think about the fact that this chore would be too much for a little girl. So I told her that I'd keep the clock at my house until she's older and had a room of her own. Well, now she has it and I must remember to wrap that clock.
The tiny tree on the little round table in front of the window is a small replica of the trees we used to decorate in California. The Ramona house is small so we can't drag in huge towering trees that touch the ceiling — well, I shouldn't say, we can't because one Christmas we tried. Our tiny tree is covered with decorations that we used on the big trees — clear glass balls because Jess loves clarity and mirrored ornaments and white twinklies because she craves light.
There are several packages in a corner that came in the mail along with at least two that we still have to take to the post office. We've made a photo album for our friend Jill — a memory book of her time here with us in Ramona. There's also a tiny lunch box filled with goodies to send to Jana. "In lieu of a Christmas stocking," we wrote on the outside of the package.
While my sister isn't Santa Claus, she's certainly one of his helpers and she has been making her list and checking it twice for at least a week. Every evening Tim and I line up and ask, "What else needs to be checked off the list?" For some reason that list does not get smaller, it gets more detailed! Hey, we might be tired, but we're having fun!
Over in the church, the manger awaits and the camel sits patiently in hopes that the wisemen soon will appear. The shepherds give me daily reports as to whether or not we can have sheep indoors.
There's magic in the kids all atwitter in art class as they attempt to make Christmas cards in the style of Kandinsky. "Can we do our own thing?" Rustyn wants to know. Their creations are so magical, even THEY were surprised, and I wanted to take them all home and keep them — the kids and their cards.
We're all waiting, looking forward, in anticipation of a little Christmas magic — like star-struck children in front of the Christmas tree. Aunt Gertie's practicing the organ while we make a stand for the Christmas star. Uncle Hank sings along in German as she plays "Silent Night" and we try to join in. Ah, how we savor the magical moments that we have together. Mom calls and says, "Maybe Frieda's coming for Christmas!" with excitement in her voice.
Magic is everywhere this time of year. You've got it at your house. It's hiding under the bed, stuffed away in a drawer, down deep in your heart, in the face of a loved one, the touch of a child, and in the very air we breathe. And once it happens, nothing can erase the mystical magical memories we've made.
It's what I've always wanted for Christmas, the present! And I've got it, because we're spending another day in the country with you! Sending love to you and yours this season!
