Trial’s cancelled! I got a phone call yesterday that said my services as potential juror were no longer needed, as the trial was cancelled. Could be for any number of reasons. They didn’t say and I didn’t ask. Like I said, it was going to be a logistical challenge next week, but I was actually disappointed to get the news. Ah well!
Yesterday night we finished decorating the tree. To this point we’d gotten the tree up but only had lights on. Lori’s family collects and exchanges ‘keepsake’ ornaments, something I wasn’t used to when we got married, so she’s got a hundred little special ornaments that represent memories and/or people. When it’s time for them to go on the tree, we put on some music and set aside time to take out each one and talk about its significance. There’s too many to all put on, so each year you get to pick and choose, and although some of the stories are familiar, occasionally we share something unknown or forgotten.
By association I’ve started a small collection of my own ‘keepsake’ ornaments, mostly deeply geeky things that Lori has gotten for me over the years. And of course we’ve started Cassidy on her own collection; last night, she got to put on a Peppa Pig that I got her. (You know, because she likes Peppa Pig a lot). Mostly she was interested in the little fake cup of coffee that I have, taking it off the tree and pretending to sip it while saying “coffeeeeee” solemnly. Wonder where she got that.
Thing I Saw Yesterday: Benji’s Very Own Christmas Story, from 1978 and on Netflix, which we picked because it was under half an hour and we wanted to watch something Christmassy with Cassidy. Benji visits Santa’s Workshop, and Santa (Kris Kringle, whatever) reveals that he has elves from all nations to respond to the wishes of that nation’s children. Does that mean children in stereotypical costumes and occasionally even blackface? Yes, reader. Yes it does. Far less offensive but still upsetting is that the dog barely does anything, except to get carried around and look really uncomfortable being petted by a bunch of kids at once.
Thing I Learned Yesterday: The original St. Nicholas (from the 4th century!) is said to have started our modern tradition of secret gift-giving when he secretly left bags of gold so that a family could avoid selling their daughters into slavery. Neat!
I’m Grateful For: Moments of positive reflection.