Jack Frost decorated as only he can in preparation for this, the shortest day of the year.
The Shortest Day
“And so the Shortest Day came and the year died
And everywhere down the centuries of the snow-white world
Came people singing, dancing,
To drive the dark away.
They lighted candles in the winter trees;
They hung their homes with evergreen;
They burned beseeching fires all night long
To keep the year alive.
And when the new year's sunshine blazed awake
They shouted, revelling.
Through all the frosty ages you can hear them
Echoing behind us - listen!
All the long echoes, sing the same delight,
This Shortest Day,
As promise wakens in the sleeping land:
They carol, feast, give thanks,
And dearly love their friends,
And hope for peace.
And now so do we, here, now,
This year and every year.”
~Susan Cooper
We are in the midst of Christmas preparations.
I just lit the Christmas tree,
some candles,
and I sit in anticipation of the arrival
of my daughter and her children.
We plan to "drive the dark away"
by eating pizza,
visiting the Broadmoor to ohh and ahh
over the fancy decorations
and beautiful lights.
We'll drink a bit of hot chocolate, I'm sure.
Maybe, when we get home,
we'll make a few cookies.
Tonight,
we will give thanks,
and hope for peace
as we celebrate this, the shortest day of the year.
I hope all is well with you and yours as Christmas fast approaches.
