Welcome to the Holiday Season on WORDWALK!

 

Welcome to the Holiday Season on Wordwalk!

 

With warm thoughts of ribbons, wreaths, and miracles, I happily welcome you to this 2018 holiday season on WORDWALK.  While I am decorating my townhouse for this Christmas season, I want you to find that WORDWALK has been decorated with joyful and jolly words that will highlight memories, as well as light up the current events of this year’s celebration of Christmas.

 

RIBBONS–I am thinking of the ribbons which my mother, a very young adult during the Depression Era, saved from one Christmas to the next during my earlier years.  She and many other people of her generation were “recycling” before they had ever heard the word.  Of course, my mother also was determined to save and re-use wrapping paper.  For decades, we continued with this ribbon-and-wrapping-paper recycling method of wrapping Christmas gifts.  While I may save a few ribbons, I must confess that I relatively quickly recycle all of the wrapping paper.  What people now seem to do more often is re-use the festive gift bags–a thoroughly acceptable behavior which, I understand, is “Elf-approved.”  Just look for the “EA” label.

 

WREATHS–For a variety of reasons, I have been thinking of wreaths lately.  On the front of our Blanford, Indiana, home were two wreaths between the two front doors.  These wreaths were below our porch light and above our plastic, lighted statues of a choir boy and girl, snow-covered lamp post, and a reindeer.  Around the eaves of our large front porch were multi-colored lights that spotlighted and framed the wreaths and other porch decor.  In recent years, inside the 23-story south tower of my very large apartment complex, a large wreath adorns the wall space above the two elevators in the lobby.

 

In 1956 or 1957, in the old, wooden Sacred Heart Grade School (Clinton, Indiana), Sister Mary Fidelis, our absolutely favorite Catholic nun who always seemed to smile with twinkling eyes, put the names of all of her Catechism students into a hat, mixed up the small pieces of paper, and drew out a name–my name!  I was an excited first- or second-grader because I had never before won anything.  What I won was being the child who would light the first candle of the Advent Wreath–the first violet candle, the candle of hope.  Fortunately, Sister Mary Fidelis assisted me.  In a photograph in my mind, I can still picture that old classroom with the wooden row desks, wooden floors, chalkboard, and the wreath with four candles to represent hope, peace, joy, and love.

 

Miracles–I am thinking of miracles because thanks to all the prayers for a dear friend, we have witnessed and cherished an early Christmas miracle.

 

With these thoughts of the ribbons, wreaths, and miracles in mind, I wrote three very short acrostic poems.  In the first and second poems, the initial letters of each line spell out the word “ribbons.”  In the third acrostic, the initial letters of each line spell out “miracle.”

 

* * *

 

A Holiday Welcome:

 

Ribbons for the Christmas Wreath

 

by Alice Jane-Marie Massa

 

 

Reaching for the holiday ribbons,

I will make the bow for the top of the wreath.

Blessings shimmer on the bright ribbon.

Balsam boughs catch the ribbon’s curling tails.

Once hung on our door, the shiny red ribbons and evergreen boughs

naturally reach out to welcome you and

snowflakes to our home for the holidays.

 

* * *

 

More Ribbons for the Holidays

 

by Alice Jane-Marie Massa

 

 

Relax, rest, and remember the Christmases of the past.

Impish grins will brighten your face.

Breathe in the fragrance of peppermint and pine.

Bolster your spirit with holiday music and wine.

Open your heart to this season of giving.

Never forget the good cheer and glad tidings.

Santa’s sparkle and surprises will come soon.

 

* * *

 

Can You Find a Miracle in a Wreath of Prayers?

 

(An Acrostic Poem of the Season)

 

by Alice Jane-Marie Massa

 

 

Miracle?  Yes, ’tis the season!

Incredible–yet I believe.

Rare, remarkable–so, we rejoice.

All still are praying; all were praying:

“Come early Christmas miracle,

land with angel’s wings on holy hope.”

Especially now, everyone is grateful, faithful, blessed.

 

 

May you and yours be blessed throughout this Christmas season,

Alice and Leader Dog Willow

 

December 5, 2018, Wednesday

 

 

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