Random Thoughts

Viruses, hacking and Christmas cheer

I’m sure it’s only coincidence that I spent the past two weeks and a ridiculous amount of time dealing with the nasty effects of a website hacking, only to end up hacking into reams of Kleenex thanks to a nasty cold virus.

It’s that time of year I guess. The computer issues mostly behind me, I’d love to curl up on the sofa with a book and a large mug of hot tea, and nurse myself back to health. Unfortunately I don’t have that luxury; it’s nearly Christmas. I’m the point person in my family for card sending, gift buying/wrapping/shipping, cookie baking and various airport runs. If I get to bed before midnight, it’s a good thing indeed.

This year I sent only 24 cards. Do people still do this? Not many, by the looks of my little wicker Santa card basket; it’s woefully empty. But I persist; it’s a holdover from my childhood. Mom always sent cards, and I always got to open the ones we received. Even as a small child I got the concept; Christmas cards were a chance to remember old friends and distant family. I guess in that pre-email, pre-cell phone era, snail mail greeting cards were a much bigger deal than they are today. Still, it’s one of those social activities that I wish we could revitalize.

Then there’s the gifts. I’ve got an elderly uncle on the east coast. Uncle’s family has dwindled down to one niece (myself) and one nephew. That’s it, that’s all the blood relatives he has left on this earth. So at Christmas, I make a special effort for him. I get a pretty basket, fill it with that decorative straw they sell in craft stores, and then stuff it with all sorts of goodies. Much of them are homemade (jams, cookies and little cakes) but I also include various goodies from Global Gardens for him as well as a split of California wine. This year I went cost-conscious and send a split of Coppola’s Diamond Merlot.

At Michael’s craft store I get shrink film, just like Harry and David and other such stores use on their gift baskets. This is the neatest touch when it comes to giving a gift basket. Armed with my hairdryer set on high, I shrink wrap Uncle’s basket. Voilà, handmade goodies with a professional wrap appearance.

I’ve done this for Uncle for years now, and didn’t think that much of it until a few years ago, when I left out one item–of all things, a fruitcake.

Turns out he really looks forward to the basket, and particularly enjoys those little fruitcakes I made. Really enjoys them with his tea, apparently. Fruitcakes have a bum rap, and hardly anyone wants them. One year I decided to drop them from the baking repertoire. Uncle was quite disappointed when one wasn’t in the basket, and made a point of telling me just how disappointed he was. At age 78 I figure he’s entitled to a reasonably disappointment-free holiday, so I’ve made sure that a fruitcake is part of his gift basket every year.

It’s all about bringing a little joy to his life. If it takes a fruitcake, I’ll bake one for him.

I love the idea of homemade gifts. I love what it says to Uncle, that I am thinking of him while my hands roll out the cookies, and stir the batter, and fill the jam jars. That I care enough to spend time doing something I know he will enjoy. Somehow it seems fitting to go to that effort, a tangible demonstration of my love for Uncle. In some small way I hope it mirrors the universe-changing effort God went to which led to this holiday celebration.

The Anchoress has been fully engaged in celebrating Advent. I’m just getting caught up on her posts, and heartily recommend them, particularly if you need to remember the point of all the evergreen and tinsel in the first place.