Wednesday, November 30, 2011

December Daily...

That’s what they call it in the scrapbooking world, The December Daily.  It’s a scrapbook, or “album” devoted to journaling the Christmas season….

Since I retired almost six months ago, I have been able to devote more time to creative endeavors, like scrapbooking.  In fact, I have made more than a dozen basic scrapbooks, covering chipboard with pretty papers and then compiling them in binder rings…

The Christmas scrapbook, “December Daily”, is done.  That is, the basic scrapbook is made and ready for December.  Each day, I will journal the day’s events and add photos or other ephemera to the page.  The pages are numbered and go through Christmas Day.  I also have a couple of extra pages at the end, for any postscripts that might occur.

I suppose that, technically, I am saving memories for future generations.  But in reality, I am savoring memories as they happen.  Each day I will write my thoughts about the day, share any photos from the day’s events, and relive the day once again.

I view it as a way to fully appreciate each and every day that I’m given.  The holiday season is so special and so meaningful to me that it will be nice to have a recorded account of all the events.  Names, dates, lists, thoughts, reactions, surprises, happiness, content, laughter, tears of joy, and memories of holidays past…..they’ll all be there. 

It will be an abbreviated form of each day, since the scrapbook is really a “mini” album.  A few words or notes on each page, to refresh my memory, will bring the day back to me whenever I want.  Perhaps, next year, I will review it and try to recreate some of its most memorable times.  Or expand on what I planned this year.  Or make it happen next year if it doesn’t this year.

Ah, my lists are long and distinguished.  Cookies to bake, fudge to make.  Cloth napkins to sew (by hand), decorations to create from “found things” and the whole house to decorate.  Perhaps, by recording them in my December Daily, I will be more likely to get them done….

If not, they’ll remind me next year of the ideas that I had this year….

Cali