Where the Creatures are Stirring

It’s quiet. Lights are twinkling on the tree, the fireplace is managing to keep the outdoor chill at bay, and for a few moments absolutely nothing is happening. Ahh. A small break in the excitement of having everyone together when I wonder if I’ll ever eat again.

I have this week off work and so far, I’ve been to the grocery about 17 times, marveling at how quickly the milk, bread and eggs disappear with the threat of a winter storm. One trip was at 6am among the employees restocking the shelves and filling online orders. Whole butternut squash was nowhere to be found until after I’d already bought it in frozen chunks and contemplated sweet potatoes instead. 

Frequent readers may be relieved to know that we have a new refrigerator! This one neither wheezes nor maintains a sub-optimal internal temperature that spoils milk. We’ve been testing its capacity with the makings of multiples feasts. Cooking for more than our usual “two” is an exciting affair. Chopping, simmering, blending, rolling, baking, plus a steady stream of dishes to wash. All the while, the fridge never seems to empty out. In fact, I’m convinced the cheeses are multiplying.

By now, in some households, small children have long since torn into the gifts and are playing with their new toys. This, however, is an adult Christmas where we might start at noon, enjoying coffee and panettone. Of course, once we all assemble it will be fun to discover what is inside the whimsical and wonky boxes under the tree. The stockings are an event in themselves with contents overflowing to the mantle and on the floor. 

The day can unfold without urgency. We don’t have to go anywhere, or shop, or wrap. The biggest decision will be which version of A Christmas Carol to watch. Mr. Magoo? Muppets? Will and Ryan? We will be surprised to feel hungry again in time to enjoy the big meal our kids have planned, paired with interesting cocktails.

Tomorrow we can contemplate how long to leave the tree up, when we need to do an airport run, and how we can slip leftovers into the luggage. For now, I’m soaking up the quiet before all the fun begins.

Bargain Hunting

I love a good deal. Whether it’s buy one get one free or a 70% off clearance sale, the idea of getting something for less is extremely appealing. During the shop-fest that is the holiday season, my desire to score a great gift without going broke is the strongest. But sometimes I fear I’ve gone too far.

While I was filling an online shopping cart, a message popped up reminding me that if I spent a certain amount, not only would shipping be free, but they’d throw in a bonus mystery item. Suddenly I found more and more things that seemed like just the right gift for someone. Maybe my family won’t notice that all their presents came from the same place.

Department stores can be overwhelming. I’ve come in to find the advertised special, only to be accosted with perfumes, non-stop holiday music, and glassy-eyed shoppers. Pawing through the bargain racks sometimes yields a cashmere sweater, or a colorful holiday vest, but it’s hard to make the case for the size 12 magenta pumps or a size zero olive drab skirt. 

There are holiday markets that grab my attention each year. It’s where I’ve found an ornament set of Christmas Carol characters, interesting jarred condiments, and glassware worthy of special cocktails. Maybe a small framed print or a vintage Coach bag? I think that jeweled Mason’s pin would look wonderful on someone’s lapel.

A neighborhood retail hub offers a “passport” to log purchases at multiple stores on the strip; after 10 you earn a gift card! It’s great to buy local, discovering the independent bookstore that opened up around the corner, and going into the candle shop (we’ve wondered how they can survive by only selling candles), but the fun visit is to the second hand thrift store filled with cast-offs and donations. 

As you’d expect, the inventory is always changing, so you never know what will be on offer. Today it’s a small fur capelet that reminds me of my grandmother, a trove of costume jewelry, ugly Christmas sweaters, and shelves of kitchen items. I wonder who on my list might need a Pyrex measuring cup, or a harvest gold casserole. Then I see it – a sweet bird on a single plate. It may have once been part of a set, but now there’s only one. I’m sure this will fit in someone’s stocking. Just don’t tell them that it only cost one dollar!

Good Deeds

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This time of year we are reminded to assist those less fortunate, whether by donating toys and food, or dropping money into the Salvation Army kettle. But good deeds aren’t seasonal and may take many forms.

I’ve written before about the man in Chicago’s underground Pedway who holds open the heavy doors between the street access and the train station. He doesn’t extend his hand for a tip, but his actions smooth the flow of foot traffic at rush hour.

My mother’s kind neighbors bring her paper to the door and haul her trash cans out and back on the right day. They send homemade breads, and the funniest cards I’ve ever seen (where is the store with all these hilarious and irreverent greetings?)

Some people act heroically in the moment. A chef waiting at the L stop after work was pushed onto the tracks by a stranger as a train approached. Other people on the platform helped the chef up off the tracks and provided a description of the perpetrator to the police. And what about the woman who helped neighbors escape from a high-rise condo when half of the building had already collapsed.

During our walk this morning we found a small wallet on the sidewalk. There was no one nearby who may have just dropped it. The contents did not yield a phone number or address; there were a few credit cards, a Florida driver’s license, an insurance card, and information about his dog.  

We wondered if the guy had been robbed, but finding no cash, the thief threw the small wallet away. Had the guy partied all night and didn’t yet know this had fallen out of his pocket? Maybe he was frantically retracing his steps to find the license and cards he’d need to fly home. Now that we’d picked the wallet up, it seemed wrong to toss it back to the ground for someone else to find. After searching the owner’s name on social media and getting no hits, we decided to continue down the block to the police station and turn in the wallet. 

You may collect trash in the park to demonstrate to your kids that this is the right thing to do, or make your teacher’s day by letting him know he made such a difference to you. Instead, we may hold back, afraid that a spontaneous one-time assist will become an ongoing obligation. Well, if the worst that can happen is falling into the habit of kindness, then bring it on.

Fill ‘Er Up

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Out running errands, I realized I needed gas. Curiously, as I rounded the corner, a station appeared so I pulled in remembering to align my car so the gas tank was on the same side as the pump. As I was gathering myself to get out, a friendly man approached and offered the unthinkable: “do you want to fill it up?”

For a fleeting moment, I wondered if this was one of those car jackers I’d read about. But no, this man was in a uniform, an employee, an actual gas station attendant offering to pump my gas. Was I transported back to the 70’s, or to New Jersey? Realizing my mouth was hanging open, I finally answered, “Sure!”

There’s a scene in the movie, Pleasantville, when the main character is trying to come to grips with being taken back in time. One of the key moments that confirmed he wasn’t in Kansas anymore was a gas station where a swarm of attendants catered to their motorist customer. This is how I felt as the gas tank was filling, the attendant checked my tire pressure (in all four tires) and then – gasp- washed my windows. I thought I might faint when he offered to wash the car.

In addition to gas, this station did repairs for all kinds of cars. Logos for Mercedes, Toyota, Honda, Ford and GMC were emblazoned across the windows. They touted lower prices that any dealership, and full-serve gas was the same price as self-serve. Why wasn’t there a line around the block?

With the sun shining through my now clean windows, the attendant took my debit card and quickly processed my payment. I thanked him and waved goodbye wondering what dreamland I had temporarily entered to have such a wonderful experience. Yes, a dream, but the gas still cost more than $5 a gallon.