The weeks leading up to Christmas became a bit comedic. I had packages to ship, which I took care of early December, and all packages arrived with time to spare. Because my extended family was celebrating in small groups but don’t live too far apart, we had arrangements for a couple meet-half-way exchanges. I coordinated with my mom and my daughters to streamline the process. But plans often change, and the gifts we had shifted for delivery ended up having to be switched back. Finally, those exchanges and deliveries were made. Everything was at the right location—until my granddaughter was born a little early, and our plans shifted again. I made yet another delivery the day after Christmas.
I laughed at the number of times my vehicle had gifts loaded in and out of it, the number of times I carried gifts in and out of my house, and the piles I had at times. Presents were shipped, shifted, and shuffled. Some people might have seen the process as a hassle. I didn’t. It wasn’t so much about the gifts to me but about the relationships those gifts represented. Shifting plans and presents wasn’t as much of a hassle as it was a blessing. I was grateful I got to connect with family—even if it was a simple porch drop or brief exchange.
Sometimes the things that press into our days—the adjustments or sacrifices we need to make—aren’t as much pressures and obligations as they are reminders of the blessings in our lives. I know it doesn’t always feel that way, but when we try to see our lives through a lens of gratitude, we often clarify our perspective and see with a bit more light.
Pure Purpose 
I was so frustrated at the thought of yet another Christmas upside down with no routine thanks to COVID. And kittens. Because we now have a pair of sisters who are absolute house wreckers, so there was no way I could even put up a real tree. Then our adult daughter who lives with us contracted COVID herself from her boyfriend’s family. My husband and I relocated ourselves to my mother’s house two weeks before Christmas.
Talk about adjustments.
We managed to survive and did not get COVID ourselves, thank the Lord. Daughter was pretty sick but we would drop off food on the porch for her and kept in contact by Facetime. She managed to not need to go to the hospital, and we are very thankful for that as well.
Christmas Day our married daughter and son in law brought their gifts for us and we chatted outside with masks. We opened our presents separately (I did NOT like doing it this way but no choice…)
Oh, and the tree alternative? I found large plastic ornaments to attach to the cat tree in the living room. Kittens were happy to be able to play and I at least had some Christmas cheer!
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I love your solution for the cats at Christmas! You might enjoy a post I have scheduled for the next couple weeks about my daughter and son-in-law losing (and finding!) one of their cats. 🙂
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