Post-Christmas Reflections

The house feels a little quiet now that Christmas is behind us. The living room couch sits alone with no piles of people lounging on its fluffy pillows. The family room is void of family chatter, laughter and noise. Even after numerous sweepings, the kitchen may still have cookie sprinkles hiding under the cabinets or stove, but it’s void of the hustle and energy of the previous week. Yes, the “big holiday” is over, but you know what? Spite the emptiness of the house, my heart is very, very full. It’s full of memories, joy, and happy sighs.

Memories – I look at the photos on my phone and feel like those faces are framed in my heart. There are the faces as we served at the hospital where we sought to be a blessing to families waiting in ICU waiting areas. There are intense looks of concentration while decorating cookies for our annual contest. I see the eager eyes of anticipation in my grandsons who were anxiously awaiting “present-opening time,” and the satisfied expression of the givers as wrapping paper was ripped off and gift contents were revealed. There were the ornery giggles of pranks and bursts of laughter during games and quiet smiles and head nods that permeated during a family photo shoot. So many sweet pictures framed in my memory will forever be a part of Christmas 2025.

Joy – Part of my joy at this season was in serving my family – baking their favorite cookies, cooking the traditional soup and putting together the Christmas Eve spread was a blessing. Knowing they appreciate the labor that went into the meal and their enjoyment of the food made it plain ol’ fun!

I made our favorite little sandwiches – Party Ryes. But I decided to make my own Pumpernickel Bread instead of buying it from the store. Everyone said it “bumped up the sandwich a whole notch.” That was nice to hear! It was easy to make and truly delicious. It would be a good accompaniment to a savory meal, like steak or homemade soup. You can find the recipe I use here. These sandwiches are a great party food!

Another joy is sharing the true meaning of Christmas with my family who also love the Lord. As we read the Christmas story, share the Gospel with hurting people, and also discuss our Bible reading from the past year, my heart is full of gratitude for the heritage left us by our parents, and the one we are leaving for the next generations. The truth of God’s Word is the only unchangeable thing in this world, so our lives center around it. What a blessing!

The happy sigh is that our time together was precious. We let one another have their space, be who they are, come and go as they please with none of our own expectations placed on them. Now Dale and I look at each other and say, “Well, it’s the two of us again!” and we pick up the broom and the dish cloth and clean up the remains of the wonderful holidays with our family, but we continue to make our own memories and our own joy as a couple. Next year’s Christmas will come in time, but for now, we will live out the truth of Christmas – that Jesus came and made a difference in my life for now and eternity.

There’s so much to be thankful for. I’ll start with thinking on all the memories, the joy, and the happy sighs… and the leftover Christmas cookies!