Festive Eve

I just finished wrapping Christmas presents for tomorrow. I've wrapped my grandma's presents for the whole family, and many of my Mom's for the family as well. I only wrapped two presents that were from me, though. One for Mom, and one for Dad. It's been a staple of my existence that I give them each a gift on Christmas. It's like some sacred oath or mission of mine that I get them something no matter how poor I am. I managed to get presents for four people this year - two of them were very random, I-had-the-chance-and-took-it presents. The other two were for my parents.

I bought them at the airport, because that's when I finally had the money to do it. (If you've purchased design services from me in the past couple weeks, you paid for my parents' Christmas presents, and I thank you.) I got Mom a stuffed whale plush that's decorated in the Inuit style. She collects decorative fish from all over the world and hangs them on the long wall in the living room. This is um, one of her things. Anyway, I got her another fish, a fish from up north where I am (or a little further, since I'm only in Oregon, but hey) and one from somewhere she hasn't had a fish from before.

Dad got a calendar of the Oregon coast. Now, usually a calendar isn't a thoughtful-type gift but if my parents aren't given a calendar then they just keep the previous year up on the wall. There is a very pretty 2008 Thunderbirds calendar up in the entryway right now that exemplifies this trait. The Thunderbirds can retire now, Oregon can go up, and, on that wall at least, time will finally pass again.

Mom and Dad live in Louisiana, with the entire rest of my family. I am the only one that emerged from this place, gasping for air and struggling for my footing up north in Oregon. Now, I love Louisiana, but it turns out I wasn't gonna live there. Since my family is big but doesn't move out of Louisiana, it's still weird for my parents that I'm so far away. So, the calendar is a little slice of where I am and what I might be experiencing. I try to take my bits of Louisiana up north; this time I brought another chunk of Oregon down to them.

I finished wrapping them before midnight, stuck them under the tree, and it was done. Sticking them under the tree was the spell, I think, and I don't know what that magic really is. This holiday's Christmas now, but it's built on top of pagan things that I follow too, and who knows how many years of traditions and how many generations' customs are echoing through this? My favorite holiday is Halloween, but damn, this one has a power. I say 'this one' because I can't even put a name to it anymore. If something moves you this season, and you celebrate, and you share it, then whatever you call it, that's 'this one'. I honor my mother and father on this day, and I share, and I try to understand. Most of all I try to feel good, because now is the time.

An update will go up later today to supersede this sentimental stuff. Thanks for your patience, and have a lovely holiday, by whatever name you call it. If you don't celebrate a holiday today, then have some cookies or popcorn or awesome coffee and we'll call it even.