Holiday Thoughts of Home
My mother lived in the past, and when her ideal of the Currier and Ives Christmas didn’t measure up, she was angry and hurt and made our home life miserable. I dreaded that time of year until I managed to create my own sense of home around the holidays as an adult.
One year, I put together an annual caroling party with a group of musicians. When we went to a local nursing home and serenaded them, all of us–both singers and residents—were touched by songs we recalled from childhood. Afterward we came back to my place for a pot luck dinner and more music and we’ve made this a tradition every year. Now I have my own version of a Currier and Ives Christmas—one both satisfying and attainable.
