Letter 19: Our 2023 reading favorites,"Egg Breakfast," and some Advent + Christmas thoughts.
December 2023
Notes from Me
Reading: December is the month when many “best-of-the-year” reading lists crop up in conversation and online. My favorites from my personal reading this last year were The Uses of Enchantment by Bruno Bettelheim and A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles. You can read my brief notes here. You can also read my favorites from previous years: 2022, 2021, 2020.
With the Boys
Reading: Last week, I finished reading The Princess and the Goblin aloud to my sons (ages 4, 6, and 7). We read it a chapter at a time over lunch most weekdays. A good foray into fantasy literature, it has short chapters, memorable characters, and an exciting plot. We will read the sequel, The Princess and Curdie next. Side note, a couple of months ago, we listened to composer Edvard Grieg’s ominous song, “In the Hall of the Mountain King.” It is a fitting anthem for many scenes in The Princess and the Goblin (i.e., chases, narrow escapes, etc.).
Book Lists: If you’d like to see some of our favorite chapter books we’ve read aloud the last few years, you can see them here: 2023, 2022, and 2021.
In the Kitchen
Eating: Most Tuesday mornings, our family shares what my sons call “Egg Breakfast.” We eat soft-boiled eggs with whole-wheat buttered toast, a pinch of kosher salt, a grind of black pepper, and some Dat’s My Sauce ( a regional brand of a Ketchup/hot sauce blend). The boys often do the pinch of salt and straight ketchup. It may seem prosaic, but this breakfast has become a family rhythm I’ve looked forward to each week for the last couple of years. Also, getting the soft boiled eggs just right took a little trial and error.
Here is how I prepare the eggs (adapted from this recipe from some years back): Put enough water in a big pot to cover the eggs by 1 inch, bring to boil, gently lower eggs in (these days, we eat around 10), set timer for 6:30, make an ice bath in a large mixing bowl (a few cubes and about 1/2 way up with water). When the eggs are done, pour them into a strainer in the sink, then plop them into the icy water, peel them, place on a plate, then set it on the table. If you can coordinate your toasting and buttering so that the eggs are still steaming on the plate while the toast is hot, even better!
Christmas Joy
This is the time of year when I exchange my typical “small joy” for anticipatory “Christmas Joy.” If you’re like me, you have an impulse to gather up all the lovely ideas for Christmas rhythms and experiences that are served up in this season (recommended readings, song playlists, thoughtful decorating, and family rituals). For many years, I quickly jumped on the hamster wheel of Christmas traditions and activities and then felt exasperated when I realized I couldn’t possibly do it all. Each time, I have needed to step back and consider my own limitations and my family’s needs. I am learning to look at almost all the wonderful ideas that clamor for my attention and say, “not this season.”
Here’s an encouragement for you, if you are like me and want to have meaningful family rhythms and traditions around this time of year: find simple ways of marking the season of anticipating/waiting (Advent) and then commemorating/celebrating (Christmas). For example, light a candle each Sunday of Advent and have a moment of quiet reflection, then sing O Come, O Come, Emmanuel. On Christmas, light all of the candles on the table and sing one song of praise to Jesus, the Light of the World (Matthew 5:14-16). Your family may be blessed by sacred moments like these, long after the trappings of Christmas are gone.
Some other suggestions: instead of looking for a new Christmas activity, consider redoing something you’ve tried in previous years. Maybe you did something last time and it worked. No need to reinvent the wheel. If you do add a new holiday rhythm to your family, do it without the pressure that it need become The Thing We Must Do Every Time From Now On. Lastly, give yourself freedom to either let go of or modify something that isn’t working for you. For example, I still want to decorate cookies with my children, but I can’t seem to get the hang of the sugar cookies I’ve tried each year. So, I plan to purchase a log of cookie dough and slice and bake cookies that way: I doubt anyone will even notice the change.
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After you’ve decided on a few things to do this season, then either don’t look at any more ideas (I admit, this is difficult), or solely note them as inspiration for future seasons. Then, turn inward and attend to the people in front of you. After all, the Christmas spirit isn’t something that is drummed up through high activity. It’s not something to be achieved. It is cultivated in your heart with the people in your sphere. Like Scrooge, we want to learn to keep Christmas always in our hearts. That includes being present to the people around us and being truly grateful to God for his generosity toward us in Christ.
Below, I have listed an assortment of ideas and experiences for you to consider as you observe Advent and Christmas. They are some that I’ve enjoyed personally or with my family over the last few years. Take something that works if you’d like to, and leave the rest for another year.
To read aloud: Here are some of our favorite picture books to read together this time of year. If you’re up for some longer books, A Christmas Carol and The Family Under the Bridge are excellent.
To read alone: For a few years I read Behold the Lamb of God by Russ Ramsey each December (highly recommend). This year I am reading Hallelujah: Cultivating Advent Traditions with Handel’s Messiah by Cindy Rollins.
To listen to: A Charlie Brown Christmas by Vince Guaraldi Trio (I never get tired of this album)
To put in the kids’ CD player at night: Here is a short list I put together three years ago. We still get these out to listen to each December (my sons are now 4, 6, and 7).
To look at: three artist’s interpretations of the Annunciation: Botticelli, Angelico, Tanner.
Something new to try: I am going to try these gingerbread cookies this month. Here’s my favorite version of the tale (“Riddle riddle ran, fiddle fiddle fan, so ends the tale of the gingerbread man”).
Until next time,
Susie
P.S.
I’ve been listening to this cinematic 9-minute song by composer Arturo Marquez while doing the dinner dishes lately.
will be trying those eggs (and bonus points for the Horace Pippin!)
So glad I get to celebrate Christmas with you!!!