Monday, December 12, 2005

A Blissful Christmas Season

Final exams are here now - too late for some to ever catch up with the demanding assignment roster. A student who hadn't been in class for weeks showed up for the exam two hours after the official start time of 7:30 a.m. What could I say when her list of work done was so woefully skimpy?

"It's probably not worth bothering with the exam - you don't have the points to pass, even assuming you ace the exam."

She sighed and sorta smiled, agreeing, turned on her heels and left.

It's a drag to not show up for your own life.

The past week has been hectic as usual, my little angelic M being anything but angelic (as a side note, she's taken to wanting to be called, "My little Angel" by the family and I suspect she's basing this newfound saintliness on a song they sing at the Christian pre-school she attends). M seems to be on a rampage, short-tempered, poking the dog to get her attention, screaming at everyone.

I think what she's suffering from is: Pre-Christmas Jitters. The school is preparing for a Christmas program, the boys keep talking about Christmas presents, we keep threatening the lack of Santa's visit if they all keep misbehaving, the commercials are Christmas-heavy, the house is decorated, the tree is laden with ornaments...my God, Christmas is coming!

Yes, I'm saying it, my minimalist Jewish upbringing sets far behind our mostly-secular celebration of Christmas. But...I rather love it this way. How wonderful to sit in the darkened den, the lights on the tree coloring the room with color, the scent of the tree, the coziness which eases the children into sleep. I look forward to the dinners and the gifts, the winter which will come, too.

For this, I'm more than happy to show up.

3 comments:

Carolyn said...

Sounds like she wasn't all that interested in her class anyway.

I'll bet your living room is just lovely!

Brenda Clews said...

There's always a warmth and a caring to your words that, oh, is beautiful, makes visiting you a pleasure. I like the way you've written the turn on 'showing up,' and yet the absent, and then tardy student is described with that same basic compassion that the way you describe Christmas preparations in your family is. Beautiful. xo

Adriana Bliss said...

Thank you everyone for your sweet notes!

Jude, I know that quote...so apropos.

Carolyn, I'm amazed at how often these students take classes, spend the money on books, and then check out until the last week, when they wake up and wonder why they're failing. Yes, our living room is the best place in the house right now!

Thank you Brenda, so much.

Tamar, I'm thankful, too, to have such a neat group of bloggers to read and share the holidays with.