The 2026 Christmas Calendar & Presents to Remain Unwrapped Under the Tree
THE calendar - finally complete & sent off to print on January 9th!
Every year for about 25 or 30, we’ve been making each other photo calendars for Christmas in our family. We stopped engaging in mass commerce some years ago & the calendar is the prized regalo. And my Mom’s favorite – she looks forward to getting hers & spends hours creating ours…too many hours:)
The last 2 years we said we weren’t going to do them, too time-consuming & too challenging in the midst of transit & transition – last January holidaying in La Paz, Mexico & this year Mom leaving CO to live with me in Santa Fe for 3 months.
No calendars we said, but last year we made it happen before leaving for Mexico & this year I told my brother I’d have time to do a couple if he could handle Dads. Well, so…life got busy.
Mom & I have been working on them in between things for 4 weeks🤪
That & with more time, Mom’s had more opportunity to scrutinize. Replacing this photo & moving that one & editing the cover &…
We finally sent the damn things to print this morning & Mom thinks they are some of the best yet, so success! Happy Mom:)
I did become impatient, especially this week realizing my blogs are hungry & calling. But I kept reminding myself, this brings joy to Mom & she won’t be here forever.
I was reminded that over & over this holiday, as multiple dear friends expressed sorrow for being without their Moms for the first Christmas since they passed. I held fast to this in the challenging moments of newly co-habiting with Mom, an adjustment for us both after long-time single living - & always an acclimation for adults in shared spaces.
I am truly embracing this time with her, my best friend. And counting my blessings that I have her & we CAN do this. And we can do this…not many parents & adult kids are close enough or have the ability to rise in grace. I attribute a lot of that to Mom – she is easier than me in all the ways! Flexible, fluid & content. She is the most content person intrinsically that I’ve ever known. I can only strive.
I’m beyond grateful to still have Mom in this life & to have her by my side. My heart swells for those who are finding themselves without their loved ones anew.
My dear friend & writing pal Jackie lost her husband of 45 years on X-mas eve morning. He battled Multiple Myeloma (Cancer of the Plasma) for 10 years & was an incredible soldier, a force for his life against an incurable disease. After a serious car accident this summer, he was paddling upstream for 3 months. Exhausted & debilitated, it was time for him to let go & rest. Jackie & her family gathered around him in hospice Christmas week & told him it’s okay to go, to let himself float away to peace.
Although a relief to see him freed from the pain, fight & suffering, so hard to say goodbye after 45 years of walking hand-in-hand in this life. Jackie & Gary met on a blind date & it was love at first sight.
My heart aches for Jackie & all those in grief. I keep thinking about the wrapped presents for him forever left under the Christmas tree.