Christmas coffee

This Christmas eve eve, I woke up early, finally a day off before Christmas and so much to do. I started the coffee and took a look at my list. Hmm…just exactly what was it I have to do today? I decided to treat my self to one of my favorite delights of Christmas, Barbers eggnog stirred into my coffee and to take the time to sit down and savor it. It smells like Christmas, sugar and spice and everything nice mixed with the warm comfort of coffee. I considered how Christmas had come to this, me with no frantic shopping trips, no overly ambitious cooking schedule,and no 1:00 a.m. marathon gift wrapping session. Could it be that I had done everything? that I was ready for Christmas? Or was it that I no longer had anything to do? My children are adults now, with homes, family, friends and lives of their own. They make their own Christmas celebrations. My closest friends are still shopping for presents for their grandchildren, in between attending their school programs and their own company Christmas parties. Some are taking care of their parents’ shopping while preparing the food and house for large family gatherings they will now host. Some have a long lists of of bridge club parties, bible study and women’s circle Christmas lunches, neighborhood caroling, bunko group cookie swaps, office parties and more gifts to buy. There is so much to do to get the house decorated and also ready for college children with their friends, girlfriends and boyfriends moving in for a few days. I thought back on all my years of doing these things and teetered on the edge of poor me for just a moment. But then I breathed in the smell of my favorite once a year Christmastime eggnog coffee, became aware of the quiet and relished a moment of peace on earth. I realized that Christmas has seasons like life itself. A season for everything. I had experienced, loved and survived all those different Christmas seasons. And God willing I will have new seasons of Christmas in the future. But this year I had time for quiet, for a moment enjoying the winter birds in the backyard while sipping Christmas eggnog coffee and being grateful for the peace of God on earth that Christmas gives to us.