December
The countdown to December starts in October. In other words, the countdown to Christmas begins then. For the Christian community, December is synonymous with Christmas. It’s party time and a period for family reunions. The preparations for the festivities begin in October or even earlier. Many thus wrap up December on a joyful and hopeful note, looking forward to a brand new start in the new year.
If I walk down memory lane, I’d find myself back in the little cottage that I lived in with Mom, Dad, and Brother. Mom prepared a fantastic array of Christmas sweets and savouries almost single-handedly. I so vividly recall dad stringing up the red and white streamers across the living room ceiling, the excitement of arranging the crib and decorating the Christmas tree and the can’t-wait-to-open presents.’ The best curtains and cushion covers were brought out, and little me faithfully penned a letter to Santa for quite a few years. I don’t remember attending the church midnight service, most likely because of the harsh Jamshedpur winters, but we did attend the Christmas morning services dressed in our brand-new, shiny Christmas clothes. I also recall the month-long school vacation and carolling as a teenager. Basking in the winter sunshine and downing cups of warm beverages, wearing thick sweaters—these are winter memories that I hold dear.
Post my marriage in 1995, I’ve been living in Mumbai, where Christmas is celebrated with great fervour, but winter remains just a nip in the air.
Well, December to me is
not just about winter and Christmas. Personally, I view December as a
bittersweet month that invites you to reflect on the year gone by, focus on the
positives, and let go of the negatives. You express joy and gratitude for every
blessing received during the year, while the month gently nudges you to clear out the
clutter and chaos and move into a bright new year, hoping for the best!
As I count my blessings, the high point would be the travelling that I was able to do, my health remained pretty stable, a few windows that I needed to desperately open have opened, and I know that life will not stop throwing curveballs. I hope and pray that I'm able to negotiate them in the New Year.
This is my entry to the Blogchatter Weekly prompt.
What does December mean to you? How do you like to close your year?
