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Christmas tree standing in my favorite apartment from years ago

Now that our Christmas tree and lights are up and twinkling their soft white glow into our apartment, combining with the fireplace to form the perfect atmosphere in which to engage Holiday festivities, I watched the Charlie Brown Christmas special Sunday night. I cannot properly be focused on the Holiday until I’ve watched it. It orients me, focuses me on the true Holiday and away from the consumer rush.

I hear that there is a replica of Charlie Brown’s tree that is most popular this year. I considered buying it…but that would be consumer…

I found something poetic in our Christmas lights this year. Actually, I discovered it last year, but didn’t end up posting about it.

I’ve always preferred top floor apartments for the privacy that they afford (and I always second-guess this decision each weekend when I bring groceries up four flights of stairs…but that’s a different issue). The advantage to the top floor is also that you can look out over the rest of the buildings and parking lots and see things. Right now, if I look out of our sun room windows, I see candles illuminating other windows, balcony rails aglow with white lights similar to our own, and Christmas trees shining back at me from windows all around, as our own tree is glowing behind unpulled blinds, there for the viewing of whomever looks up or in.

Normally, I always close our blinds at night. Most people do, I think. The fact that so many apartments here have chosen to not do so in order for their trees to be seen speaks to something. Its sort of like we’re giving that little gift to those around us at the expense of our privacy. “I’ve made this beautiful to look at…won’t you enjoy it with me?” There was effort involved in these decorations. There is something given up in leaving blinds open. It may be small…perhaps on both counts…but its symbolic. Symbolic of some of the substance of Christmas: giving up something that costs us simply so others can benefit.

Its small, like this post, but I think its significant. We’re only a little over a week away, after all, and I’ve watched Charlie Brown, which means I can now become properly sentimental.

Blessed Advent to you all.

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