How to make your own holiday

In years gone by, it was my habit to enjoy my holidays by driving to various places to see things I love like model train exhibits and Chritmas tree lightings, decorated historic houses, and candlight tours. Now, however, my eyesidht doesn't permit these excursions. Still, I will not go into the dark. I know a lot of people, like my brother who is 2 years younger than I am, who do not bother to put up decorations or lights or anything because they are alone at Christmas. He lives in West Virginia and he comes here to New Jersey at Christmas, so he doesn't see any point to decorating.

My feeling is that living by yourself is the best reason to decorate. Although I have simplified my decorating, for example, I have dropped down from 12 tubs of decorations to about 2, I still have a tree, and I decorate the stair bannister from the attic to the living room, the room divider between the kitchen and the living room. My tree this year is very siple, just snowflake lights and Swedish straw ornaments. The doorway and the bannister are artifical pine garland with red berries and snowflake lights and I have stockings in red plaid hanging from the bannister with treats in them - chocolate covered cranberries!

In addition to the interior decorations, my nephew came over and put up my yard lights which these days is assorted colored lights strung around the large juniper and evergreens that fence in my yard.

Along with the decorations in the house, I will burn a holiday scented candle and waatch old favorite holiday movies such as A Christmas Carol (the old one with Alistair Sims) and It's a Wonderful Life with James Stewart, and my most recent annual favorite, A Christmas Story the Gene Shepherd classic. I used to enjoy Gene Shepherd's short stories on the radio, and on audio tapes and the few fine short films he made.

So that takes in sight, smell, and I usually play my collection of holidays cd's which are the classics - R&B Christmas favorites and that sort of thing. Next, is tqste, and I will buy fruit cake for myself and one for my brother since we are the only ones who like it, but to me, it isn't Christmas without it!

In this way, with my pets and my Christmas cards arriving from friends, I greet and warm the winter season, simply, humbly, and happily! If you are stuck at home due to eyesight or age or whatever, I hope tis recipe for holiday happiness inspires you to light it up! Happy Trails - Jo Ann