Dear Christmas
By Janis Kunz, East Sierra Branch
Christmas Day
981 Enchanted Eve Lane
Festive Town, USA, 122523
Dear Christmas,
I am writing to thank you for all the gifts you have given me.
Thank you for the first Christmas morning I remember when I was nine. The surprise I felt seeing a bunch of new toys on the couch when my sister and I woke up was almost matched by the hope that Dad could be a part of our family again and we could celebrate holidays the way his side of the family did. I cherish this memory a lot, because it’s one of the only ones I have of the holidays as a child.
Thank you for our first sibling Christmas where my brothers and sister and I decorated a tiny tree and put it in Davis’ van and parked under the giant pine tree at City Hall that is adorned with colored lights each year. It was a good last stop on our annual drive around town to see the Christmas displays. I always look forward to seeing our desert town neighborhoods, with their xeriscaping and succulents, bedecked with inflatable winter wonderlands full of snowmen and penguins under the strings of rainbow lights sparkling in the dry winter air. We had a lovely evening of laughter and gifts and the kind of love only a sibling bond brings. We continue this tradition still, though now we end in a bit warmer location – my cozy apartment with a somewhat bigger and way-more-decorated tree.
Thank you for the fantastic Christmas vacation Jennifer and I spent in grand ol’ Texas with Dad and his new lady, our sweet ‘almost mom.’ We had the time of our lives and got to experience Christmas the way it’s meant to be – a joyous occasion with celebration and family young and old filled with excitement! Less Scrooge’s bah humbug, and more Fezziwig’s ball. I wasn’t peeking into someone else’s holiday and play-acting at it, I was fully included and encouraged to celebrate it. Even though I was an adult, I felt like a kid at Christmas! The holiday food, the decorations, the presents, the shopping, the tree and keepsake ornaments, the wonderful moments with old and new family.… If that collection of moments could be bottled up to sell, I wouldn’t make a dime, because I would never let go of it.
Thank you for still being there during 2020, the hardest year of my life. With the magic of technology, we got to celebrate the holiday with Dad one last time, us in California, him in Texas in the hospital.… You never let us down.
Thank you for the Christmas party I got to spend with my theatre family at Daniel’s sister’s house. I am blessed to have such amazing people in my life! We had such a great time together! I hope you don’t mind that I kinda took on the mantle of being the gift bringer and was dubbed “Janta Claus.” We had some rollicking fun – what with nifty traditions like the Christmas pickle, and reflected on our year of theatre memories. Good times, good times.
Thank you for being here year after year and bringing me the same exuberant, childlike excitement that I can now share with all the little kids I get the honor of working with as a teacher. I get to see their happy smiles as Rudolph shows up for a visit amid shouts of joy, hear their cheerful voices as we sing songs and jingle the bell bracelets with aplomb, revel in the shower of glitter and paint that goes flying as ornaments are decorated, and watch merrily as tiny hands reach gleefully into bags and pull out candy canes and other goodies. It is more fun than I’m probably legally allowed to have in one season!
And thank you for the current holiday that has been a month and a half lead up — including splendid Christmas teas, a chaotically fun classroom party, a funny and touching Christmas play my brother was in, excited shopping trips, and relaxing gift swap lunches with close friends – to what is sure to be another exciting culmination of hugs, toys, laughter, filling food, and shared joy!
Ever gratefully yours,
Janis Kunz, one of your biggest fans
P.S. – I know I live in Ridgecrest, but if you could have snow one year, that would be cool. Thanks!