It’s Beginning To Feel A Lot Like Christmas.

Crowds of people, Christmas lights, Christmas music, and open shops. Those are the things I remember from this year’s Small Town Christmas in Saluda. This was the first year I actually got to experience it. Me and my friend Malia came down to enjoy it since we were in need of a break from finals. It was a nice way to get into the Christmas spirit.

Normally, when I think of Christmas, I think of spending time with family. As it’s nearing Christmas I am anxious to finish with finals and get home. Every year my mom and I put ornaments on our Christmas tree together, and this year she’s waiting until I’m home to put the ornaments on. I’ve always been drawn to the meanings of Christmas ornaments. Ours range from ornaments my brother and I made as kids, ornaments that were given to my brother and I by Ms. Jo, my mom’s vegetable ornaments, different colored balls, and a variety of Christmas-related ornaments.

It’s always this time of year when I think of Ms. Jo. Every year, she would bring my brother and I a new Christmas ornament. It was never anything extravagant, but it was still special. As a kid, I didn’t really pay attention to her visits, but now that I’m older, I longer for a Christmas visit from Ms. Jo. She lived down the street from us, and she was one of the nicest older ladies I knew during my childhood. I remember my first Christmas without Ms. Jo. It wasn’t dramatically different, but there was a different feeling in the air. That first Christmas without her was hard for me. Though I didn’t really feel it at the time, Ms. Jo’s annual visits always gave me a sense of comfort and love. It was easy to go through the motions of Christmas, but that’s just it, that first Christmas without her I went through the motions. I mean, Ms. Jo and I weren’t close, but I could tell she cared for me, and she was a comfort to have in my life.

Often times, I think that’s how loss is. It’s hard for a while, but then over time, it’s gets a little easier. Not to say the pain goes away necessarily, but it just gets a little more bearable. This Christmas I’ll think of Ms. Jo, but I’ll remember what I loved about her and how she made Christmas just a little more special. To anyone who will be without someone for the first time this Christmas, I’ll be thinking of you.