Holidailies: Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

Have yourself a merry little Christmas.
Let your heart be light,
From now on our troubles
Will be out of sight.

It was the last day of classes before the holidays which meant that I would be dealing with low attendance, hyper kids and random frenzies. Not surprisingly, I am tired. Exhausted last night, I fell into bed without completing the myriad of things I had wanted to accomplish before I was supposed to be abed--small things like snacks for the kids who would bother to come to see me on "National Skip Day", bags to bring home the stuff that needed to come home with me for the holidays (hello 5 sweaters draped artistically across my computer chair), and cards for the teachers I hadnt written to yet, colleagues I wanted to appreciate with a small note and a wish.

Have yourself a merry little Christmas,
Make the Yule-tide gay,
From now on our troubles
Will be miles away.

The last one was most important to me. I feel like I lean quite heavily on the people around me to help to lift me up, to support me and keep me afloat. In a profession that is quite isolating, finding those pockets of people who will share a shoulder, give you a laugh and make you feel less robotic, means everything. And so, I brought my cards (blank ones that I felt the need to fill up) to school with me and decided to spend my free moment (ha!) making my appreciation visible.

Here we are as in olden days,
Happy golden days of yore,
Faithful friends who are dear to us
Gather near to us once more.

I dont regret sloughing some things in order to create those moments of amazement for people and while I can never truly respond to the comments "Where do you find the time to do this??" or "I cant believe you spend so much time on this!" I think it will always be thus.

A bunch of first year, new to the community, cant afford to fly back home this Christmas, people (who might otherwise miss out on a Christmas dinner) are coming over on Sunday. I dont know if I have, as usual, committed myself to too much, but I will make it work. As they say something is better than nothing. Fellowship is so important to me and hosting a gathering to create that fellowship can only bring more Christmas into our home and for that chance, I am grateful.

Through the years
We all will be together
If the Fates allow,
Hang a shining star
On the highest bough,
And have yourself
A merry little Christmas now

And so it goes...