It Was the Day After Christmas

Avoice, not far away, shouted, now what? The shopping’s done. The gifts have been opened. The wrapping paper can’t be recycled.

I yelled back. How about being thankful? You have a warm home, plenty to eat, and a good paying job. Plus, a loving family.

But my wife didn’t like her gifts. My daughter is in her room on TikTok and hasn’t emerged for a day.

Say a little prayer for them. Maybe take them for a drive up to Anza Borrego Desert State Park. It’s only forty minutes away. Get some fresh air. Bring some sandwiches and have a picnic at Vallecitos, S.D. County Park further up S2. It’s where the Overland Stage used to stop. The park is so beautiful this time of year. If that’s too far a drive, bike around the neighborhood. Or walk a couple of laps around Bucklin or your local park.

You can return gifts some other day. Get out and enjoy nature.

Well, I am trying to practice what I preach. I usually go for a short hike out of Vallecitos and a picnic. It’s a world so removed from even a rural county such as Imperial. We get too involved in our appointments. Eyes glued to our phones. Driving everywhere because it’s too far to walk. Ordering pizza because no one wants to cook. Break the cycle at least by going out to your backyard, grilling for the family. Feed the birds. Plant some lettuce. Eat some local broccoli.

It’s been a good Christmas season in our family. This is the time of year the Valley comes alive. I missed the Pioneers’ Museum’s Holiday Tour Around the World. This is one of my favorite events of the year. You can eat your way around the world complements of the various ethnic galleries at the museum. I have a good excuse though, I was in Washington, D.C. visiting my daughter.

The trip was brief but very rewarding. I got to see my daughter in her new surroundings, and in place of the Valley Christmas parades, I got to visit the White House Christmas tree. It had blown over a few days prior to my visit, but Joe Biden and his assistants got it righted in time for the crowds. The White House was in the distance, all lit up for Christmas, and in the other direction was the Washington Monument. Pretty special.

Actually, I almost didn’t visit the tree. We had been to the Smithsonian Museum of the American Indian, and I was tired. If you visit D.C., count on walking a lot. Yes. It’s good for you. But my batteries run out sooner than years ago. My daughter insisted we go and so we did.

We took a Lyft as far as we could. Areas around the Ellipse, the park that is south of the White House, are heavily barricaded so you can’t drive close to the park. It was a beautiful evening and the crowd was joyful. Walkways circle the nation’s Christmas tree. There are also fifty plus smaller trees representing the states and territories.

Washington, D.C. knows how to celebrate. There seemed to be a Christmas tree on every corner and wreaths on every door. While public displays in the Valley are less common, our El Centro neighbors put on light shows around their homes. My dear wife loves to decorate making our house bright and festive. But El Centro and other towns just can’t compete with Calexico. The residential lights there must be visible from the International Space Station.

It is a time to be thankful. So share with those who may not be as fortunate as you and me.