#Because2020 continued from the last time I wrote a blog here on Inspy Romance. On Thanksgiving Day, we took out our artificial Christmas tree, hoping to get it set up so our Youngest (Katie, Boo’s mom) could help with the decorations.
No such luck.
When we pulled out the bottom portion, we discovered the branches had somehow been placed into the box last year bent backward, resulting in floppy branches with no hope of salvation. But since we aren’t in a place this year to buy a new tree until the after-Christmas sale, we did what we could with pliers. Then, when we wrapped the colored lights around the tree, we discovered the red bulbs just aren’t working. Stubborn things!
Let’s just say our poor little tree could give Charlie Brown’s tree a run for its money.
We decided to laugh about it. The very top of the tree still kinda looks like a tree, and that’s all you can see from the street. Our cats are enjoying being able to sleep under the low branches without being disturbed. And Boo is more interested in the wrapped boxes around the tree than the tree itself.
Things are definitely different all around this year. Katie and Boo will be over on Christmas Eve to play games instead of singing carols at the midnight mass. Boo is super clever and totally holds his own in adult “thinking” board games. So, our traditions this year might be different, but I’m still looking forward to celebrating Christ’s birth with at least some of my family.
In my Christmas novella The Cowgirl’s Christmas Gift, VR-wearing, socially awkward geek Cameron Flynn’s Christmas is thrown almost as much as if a pandemic hit when he suddenly becomes the guardian of his two six-year-old nephews. Here’s the blurb:
When a couple of mischievous six-year-old twins show up on Maisey Gray’s property and scare her horses, she’s ready to let their VR glasses-wearing, socially awkward guardian have a piece of her mind. She soon learns there’s much more to Cam than meets the eye, but he’s the twins’ permanent guardian and she isn’t mother material. Can an adorable set of twins, a snowstorm and a wild horse bring this cowgirl a Christmas gift she’ll remember forever?
Cam didn’t move to Hope, Wyoming in search of romance, but when he suddenly becomes the guardian of his sister’s twins, he needs neighbor Maisey’s help more than ever to make everyone’s Christmas wishes come true. Celebrating Christmas with Maisey creates a special bond. But is it virtual reality, or is it the start of a forever family?
Cam was my first ever geek hero and was such a joy to write. Completely different from my alpha cowboys, I found a real soft spot in my heart for Cam.
How is Christmas different for you this year?
I’m not having my usual Christmas Eve dinner party. And I charged what i needed this year. May not be the best choice but i done did it…lol
No difference for us. Just a quiet family time as usual. Perfect.
I’m with Mary Preston. Nothing different. My family has been preferring to have a quiet Christmas celebration since I was a teen. So we’re doing it as usual. Just as we like it.
Mine is totally different this year. The first Christmas without either parent. Family relationships have changed, so I’ll be spending Christmas Eve with my oldest sister and some of her family and Christmas Day I will spend alone, and hopefully see a friend later in the day, or at least talk with one or two on the phone. I’m definitely going to read the Christmas story in Luke!
Very different, since we’re in a lockdown of sorts here in British Columbia. Instead of a candlelight Christmas Eve service at the high school auditorium (our church usually hosts a community-wide seeker-friendly service), it will be online. Instead of my husband’s family getting together later Christmas Eve, we’ll meet via Zoom. Instead of my daughter’s family spending a few days with us, we’ll spend Christmas morning with them (and my son’s family, next door but not in our “bubble”) on Zoom – we’re exchanging boxes of gifts hopefully tomorrow, weather permitting.
It will be different, for sure… one for the history books! We want to make the very best of a rather rotten situation so that in years to come, our grandgirls will look back and remember this Christmas in a positive way, knowing they are loved by their grandparents and by Jesus.
No “huge” family gatherings but we still meet up :)
Merry Christmas!
No big changes for us, our daughter and her little family live 3 blocks away from us, so we will be spending Christmas day and Christmas Eve with them like we have been. Our son and his little family live 6 hours away from us and they will not be traveling at all this year. Our son and his little family come and spend Christmas with us every other year, they take turns with families, and they were here last year for christmas so our turn will be to have them here next year Godwillng. We will be making phone calls for sure. But all is well Thanks be to God. May you and your family have a Very Merry and Blessed Christmas. Your book sounds like a great read and I love the book cover. Thank you for sharing about it.
My Daddy is just home from long hospital stays. Him needing 24 hour care along with continued state shut down have cancelled any gathering. I will spend the day home with my adult son but will have the blessing of a video chat with my daughter and two grandkids that live several states away. I am so grateful for that! I have decided that around the video chat and my personal worship I want to get to work on a couple of books I have been pushing to the side. A quiet but enjoyable day!
Merry Christmas to you all!
We will be having a Christmas day meal with extended family nearby. Nothing else, but then, it is everything else because of Jesus. His gift means so much more during this year of loss and struggle. How good it is to know that we are loved and cared for beyond even our imagining. God bless us, every one. Merry Christmas, all!
I think many of us will be missing our extended family Christmas dinners. Which reminds me…I haven’t even started thinking about food yet!! Whoops!
Other than church, that’s it for us, as well.
Perfect! I love that nothing has changed for you amongst a year of so many changes.
The Christmas story is more important than ever. God is calling to us through this pandemic. Joe and I will be alone on Christmas Eve and will stream the midnight mass and then Katie and Boo will join us on Christmas morning (not breaking COVID rules as we watch Boo every week).
hahaha you need foood and don’t forget the drinks!
MERRY CHRISTMAS to you and yours!
Because of Joe’s health we’ve been self-quarantining (and sometimes government-quarantining) since March. It’s definitely something the grandkids will remember into their adult lives. We’re FaceTiming with my granddaughter as she opens her gift and will enjoy having Boo over. A much smaller gathering of four but I’m so grateful.
Merry Christmas to you, as well. I’m glad you’ll be able to meet up. I know in Colorado they are pushing for no family gatherings.
Thank you and Merry Christmas to you, as well. It sounds like it worked out well for you with your son having the “off” year. We’ve always been where everyone gathers, but now two of my daughters live in other states so it would have been just Katie and Boo anyway.
Hi Deb, I finally got the icicles on the top and middle area of the tree. if I put it in the lower part Libby will attack. She’s had the tree down a few times but now I have it anchored. She still tries.
This year there has been no Christmas breakups or a church meal normally the Sunday before Christmas. We are not able to go caroling this year. So I haven’t been to any Christmas lead up events at all. I have only one gift under the tree and doubt there will be any others this year as the few friends who do normally give something small (on often gives some chocolate) have sent cards already. (I know its not about the gifts but I do like to open something). Christmas Day will be the same Church in the morning then alone with the cats for the rest of the day but we make the most of it.
I have a few Christmas dvds to watch.
I hope you’ll be able to enjoy spending some quality time writing. My granddaughter is also in another state so we’ll be video chatting as she opens her gift. My husband was also in the hospital (non COVID) through much of November so my caregiving has gone up a notch. Take care of yourself!!
Oh, I love that quote from Tiny Tim. I used to act in the musical Scrooge every year there for awhile, but it’s been quite a few years now and of course all the theaters are now closed. This year has given us much more to ponder with the birth of our Lord. Merry Christmas!
Maybe because there have been no lead in events and I haven’t been practicing Christmas music with the choir, I feel as if Christmas has just rushed up on me this year. I need to slow down during these last few days and truly meditate on the birth of our Lord. You are in my prayers and my spirit will be with you on Christmas morning, Jenny! Merry Christmas!!
I don’t have the talent to write–my lack of clarifying. I am just going through books for a friend for pull quotes. I am fighting with my own physical limitations. I worked as a caregiver for many years as a job, for grandparents, the last few years with my husband but can’t for my Daddy. It is a challenge to do but having been so used to doing that it’s even harder now that I can’t! I will need to devote extra time to the true reason for Christmas, helping to keep things in perspective! I’m happy you get to video chat with your granddaughter, such a blessing! 💕
Everything is different for me as I’m taking care of my mom full time. Merry Christmas 🎁🎄 blessings.
Church is on zoom.
Nothing different this year except to add a Zoom or Facebook video chat (whichever works best) with my sister-in-law & niece to open presents. On Thanksgiving we go up there to visit (not this year though) and we stay home on Christmas. We’ll have the traditional Turkey with all the fixin’s for dinner, a Christmas movie with an apple cider toast and pumpkin pie to top off the evening. Nice & quiet just like we like it. :-)
Oh, we bought a new tree this year!! It’s still artificial, but it’s 6.5 ft tall with multi-colored prelit LED lights and it’s SO pretty & SO realistic!
Yes, definitely a different year. I have only been out ‘on a social level’ three times since March – twice to our third son’s house to have a meal with him and his family (our Bubble), and once we dared to share a take-out Swiss Chalet dinner to two very dear close friends who live near-by, and as for shopping, didn’t do it. Hubby does the grocery shopping and has picked up a few things here and there.
Still, noone or nothing can cancel Christmas on us. He came, He lived, He died, and He rose again. What more can we ask?
Happy New Year everyone.