This December thus far has brought us a lot of Seattle gray. A lot of drizzle, some serious rain, and only a few days when the sun peeked out. I think I’ve only seen the Olympic Mountains two days since Thanksgiving. Yet, I haven’t been able to stay inside this month. I’ve been busy.
Here are some random thoughts on my recent activities:
Flowers
One advantage of the frequent precipitation in Seattle is that flowers bloom year-round. On a visit to Woodland Park Rose Garden in early December, roses were still blooming. And on another walk in the Sunset Hill neighborhood, several gardens had a variety of flowers, including roses, dahlias, hydrangeas, and other blooms I cannot name.
But I had to laugh at the sight of flowers and a grazing artificial reindeer in the same yard in Sunset Hill. There’s something incongruous about the combination. Kind of like the palm tree and autumn leaves I saw on neighboring trees last month in an arboretum.
Sirius Again
I posted several years ago about listening to Sirius in the car I inherited from my father. I kept his subscription to Sirius active until it expired, and I thought of him as I drove.
A recent maintenance visit to a local car dealer led to my receiving a free Sirius trial. So once again, I’ve been listening to classical music on Sirius like my father did. I won’t pay to extend the free trial when it runs out in January, but I’ve enjoyed reminiscing about car trips with my father as I listen to the music he liked. He’s been gone almost eleven years, but I still miss him.
By happenstance, as I drove around one dreary December day, a selection entitled “Summer Music” came over the air. Ironic, given the month and the weather.
Christmas
There’s no snow in Seattle and little evidence of Santa Claus at our retirement community. But there are Christmas trees and other seasonal decorations in the common areas, and I’ve decorated our apartment with a tree and creche. Christmas comes, whether the weather warrants it or not.
I’ve driven to two malls to shop, even though I hate shopping. On one trip, I even ventured across Lake Washington to the East Side. (I’ve learned that the chasm between Seattle proper and the East Side is even bigger than the chasm between downtown Kansas City and Kansas City North. Bodies of water seem to be significant barriers to community.) Between the malls and online shopping, my gifts are purchased ahead of the last-minute frenzy of the month.
I’ve also addressed over 100 Christmas cards (down from well over 200 in my peak card-sending years). In past years, I put on a sappy Hallmark movie or Miracle on 34th Street (I prefer the 1947 version) and plowed through them in a festive spirit. But this year, I addressed most of them with no distractions. There are still many people in my present and past who are worth thinking about while I sign the cards, insert my annual letter, and label and stamp the envelopes. It’s nice to remember the people who have meant so much to me over the years.
My Christmas preparations have gone pretty well this year. It’s only mid-December, and I’ve wrapped and mailed all out-of-town gifts and mailed my cards. I have only local present wrapping to do. So now I can focus on enjoying Christmas.
* * *
On this, another dreary December day in Seattle, I think about what has changed in my life and what remains the same from year to year. The season looks different than most Decembers in my past, but the month still brings the promise of Christmas, of connections, and of celebrations. The people in my life come and go, but despite death or distance, they remain alive and close in my memories. The spirit of Christmas continues, even when it involves reindeer and flowers.
What does December mean to you?
