The Perfect Gift

Hard to believe Christmas is just over a week away.

Not much shopping, decorating, or celebrating has been going on in my world. No cookie baking, or caroling, or dreaming of presents under the tree.

It's not for lack of holiday spirit. I've been thankful that others have decorated up a storm--the lights look prettier than usual this year. And I'm looking forward to seeing friends and making merry. It's just that I can't seem to get my head (or heart) into the whole giving/getting thing. And that's so not typical of me that I've actually been feeling bad about it.

Until tonight.

Driving home from Jim's, I heard an Eddie Cantor song from 1939 that could easily have been written today. By the time it ended I felt at peace with the way I'm feeling. Given the kind of year it's been, the perfect gift would be not to lose what I already have.

The Only Thing I Want for Christmas

(Is Just to Keep the Things That I've Got)
If Santa passes by my stocking, I promise not to mind a lot
The only thing I want for Christmas is just to keep the things that I’ve got
A pair of loving arms around me, a garden of forget-me-not
The only thing I want for Christmas, is just to keep the things that I’ve got

A friend or two, a peaceful sky of blue
A place to hang my hat when work of day is through
If Santa passes by my chimney I’ll still be happy like has not
The only thing I want for Christmas is just to keep the things that I’ve got

Ya know there’s a lot of unhappiness in the world today
But we still have peace over here.
In this country we really have Christmas 365 days each year

If Santa passes by my stocking I’ll still be happy like has not
The only thing I want for Christmas is just to keep the things
Just to keep the things, that I’ve got