Write Team: Hope is what we need, and it’s found during Christmas

I started Christmas decorating last week.

Yes, tomorrow is Thanksgiving. Nobody is forgetting about Abraham Lincoln’s proclamation for a national holiday on the fourth Thursday of November. We will have a traditional dinner with a stuffed turkey and all the side dishes.

We can still go around the table and say what we are thankful for. Sparkling lights and a nativity set or two won’t affect that.

Why did I feel the need to begin holiday decorating early? Part of my reasoning is the time factor. Thanksgiving is on a later date this year. Nearly every room in the house gets some degree of holiday happiness added. It is better to take my time and not end up with an aching back because I did too much in a couple days.

I’ve noticed that others have begun putting up stockings and stringing lights, too. Time is just part of our answer. I think we are yearning for extra comfort and the anticipation of something larger than ourselves.

There is an urge to bring out the joy and traditions that come with seeing a beautiful tree lit up in the entryway. I enjoy looking through the boxes of ornaments and reliving the memories that accompany them. When I look at pictures of our children and grandchildren in past holidays, I am reminded of our blessings.

I can close my eyes and see my younger brothers unwrapping presents under the tree while our parents and grandparents smile. I remember the years that Baby Strawberry Shortcake, Pound Puppies, Ghostbusters Ecto Car, GI-Joes, Ewoks, and Care Bears were the much-hoped-for gifts by our children.

When I plug in the light of our ceramic Christmas tree, I am 12 years old again and in awe that my Grandma Evelyn made that tree for our family. We lost her tragically the following spring, and I am grateful that my parents gave me this most special tree many years later.

Hope is what we need.

It can be found in the bins and boxes in our basements and closets labeled “Christmas.” When we decorate our spaces and bake cookies with Grandma’s recipes, we are reassured that everything is as it should be. If we listen to holiday music while the scent of a balsam candle is in the background, our homes feel cozy and safe. We read holiday books and stories together. We watch “A Christmas Story” and “It’s a Wonderful Life” for the 100th time because it is tradition.

We worship, we count our blessings and we wish our neighbors Merry Christmas or Happy Hanukkah or Season’s Greetings because holidays should unite us, not divide us.

The season of anticipation can start whenever we decide that we need it.

And if we need some cheer and hope a little earlier than usual, that is just fine. Very soon, I’ll begin my annual handmade ornament assembly line process. This year, I am making angels out of old book pages, and I am excited to see how they turn out.

Each one will be named “hope.”

Karen Roth is a semiretired librarian/educator living in Ottawa. She can be reached at dbarichello@shawmedia.com.