Every December, Grandma would set up a big Christmas tree with a variety of mid-century holiday décor. I now own much of these old items. Her ornaments are a bit tarnished, but they shine just as brightly in my memory.
One day, I gave her a 1940s magazine and her eyes lit up in forgotten youth. Grandma was a singer back in the day and even wrote her own songs. She loved everything old Hollywood. Grandma may not have made it there, but she will always be glamorous in my mind.
Recently, I brought my daughter to a fancy tea for her birthday. As my 8 year old stacked up the pink and white sugar packets, I remembered Grandma. She used to take me to nice restaurants and I recall making the same sugar towers. The sounds and touch were familiar too. A grand piano played holiday pieces in the background and I felt the same thick white table cloth beneath our silverware.
I shared with my daughter stories about Grandma. Wise beyond her years, she exclaimed, "I think Grandma is sitting next to us right now!" And I believe she was.
What is belief? According to the dictionary "belief" is "the acceptance that something is true or exists." We hear this word a lot around the holidays as we tell tales of Santa and the North Pole.
When grandma passed away, I found a snow globe of a little girl and an angel. Grandma was my angel. Her legacy lives on through me. On her grave, there is a simple inscription with the word (verb): "Mother."
Interestingly, belief comes from the words "confidence" and "love." Confidence, in fact, is derived from the word "trust." My daughter and I trusted Grandma was next to us and felt her love. She was our Christmas angel.
As we prepare our important holiday traditions, let us remember these origins of belief. What do you believe in this Christmas? Who are your Christmas angels?
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