By Joe Rector
“Whew!” How many folks uttered that word on the Friday after Christmas 2025 had come and gone? Families united for a few days, but to be honest, many of those who left to return home, and the ones who hosted them were glad to wave goodbye. No matter how much family members and friends are loved, they, too, “begin to smell after three days.” The fact has nothing to do with love; our routines help us to get through our workdays and demands at home. Prolonged interruptions to those routines cause anxiety and irritation. So, getting back to normal is welcomed by most of us.
Here in our area, we’ve been blessed with springlike weather. Christmas Day was a bit strange as folks donned shorts to go outside and watch children play. The unusual weather did allow relatives to travel here for the holidays. Unlike the poor folks up north, we didn’t shovel snow and fight brutal winds that dipped temperatures into the minus areas. Fear not, those of you who long for snow for Christmas. The coming weeks will thrill your souls with plunging temperatures and the possibility of snow or ice. Some of us say, “Bah, humbug,” to the winter weather that is on its way. Our happiest day recently wasn’t Christmas; it was the arrival of the winter solstice. Now, every day will increase daylight until DST arrives again.
Too many people are already worried about the credit card bill that will arrive in the mail. It is only an envelope, but it threatens to squash our budgets and bank accounts. Amy and I agreed to back off on spending for presents, but I lied. I knew I was doing it as I said the words. My wife deserves the best things that I can buy. I try to pay attention to things she tells me to get, but I always find other things to give her. I’ve learned over the years two things. One, always keep the receipts for purchases. Two, when in doubt, remember that cash is always the right size and color.
So, the total cost for Christmas presents for Amy was close to that of most other years. I’ll move money around to pay the bill. Too many overspending individuals will open their bill, shake their heads as they mutter a curse word, and send the minimum payment. In the next few months, the entire bill will be paid off, hopefully before Christmas 2026 arrives.
My sympathies go out to all those homeowners who spent hours putting up decorations. They are now staring at hours of labor to take those items down. The cold weather will make the tasks even more difficult. We bought a new tree this year because I no longer could carry the old one. The lights twinkled in a variety of ways, so we didn’t put ornaments on the tree. It’s half the size of the old one, and that makes toting it for storage much easier. Our only concerns were that Harvey had never seen a Christmas tree and that he’d mark it as his territory. We also chose only a few decorations since no one was coming to our house for Christmas.
Easter isn’t that far away. Our church choir will have a cantata, and we’ll celebrate the greatest event in the history of the world. No decorations will be displayed at our house. Yes, we used to set out Easter baskets for our children, but that was all. New parents, only doing a basket is okay. Bunnies don’t lay eggs. Take a rest from all the hoopla that surrounds other holidays. Take a breath, say a prayer, and be grateful for the sacrifice that was made by the man. By the way, we welcome any person who would like to sing in our church choir. Our need for new and more voices is pressing.
