OHVELLO

Christmas. A season of glad tidings, and joy. A season of peace and goodwill. A time to share love, gifts, and food. A time to gather with family and friends.  At our house, the lights are lit, the decorations are in place, the eggnog chilling in the fridge.  All is calm, all is bright.    Art by Adeline Except for one thing. This is the year 2020. A year like no other we've known before. This is the year we have had to wear masks and socially distance ourselves, and the year when masks became political. This is the year words like "mutant virus spoils Christmas" make headlines and create panic.  It appears that Marvel movies have jumped off the big screen into real life, our lives.  And so, in as much as we will try to make Christmas as Christmassy as possible, it will not be the same. Our lives have been disrupted, changes have had to be made, we have all lived through months of uncertainty, lockdowns, separation from loved ones, and toilet paper hoarding...

It's September and it's 2020. The crazy year that threw us all for a loop. Navigating it was alright, we just had to be flexible to flow with how things needed to go as protocols, and regulations changed. But through it all, I craved the simpler, comforting, and cheerful things more than ever. So, it is not surprising that I, who never think about Christmas until late November, am yearning for candlelit nights and cozy blankets while drinking eggnog and watching cheesy movies. There is something about the comfort of being around things that don't change. I don't generally have traditions I adhere to, but I do like those things that calm the soul, emanate peace while bringing cheer and joy. In this crazy topsy-turvy year, some semblance of normal is very welcomed. So, here I am dreaming of Christmas and the nostalgia it brings. In September.