Walnut Boats and Fur-Ball Mice: The Real Gifts of Christmas

Last updated on: December 6, 2012 at 11:48 am by Guest Contributor

Walnut Boats and Fur-Ball Mice: The Real Gifts of Christmas 2012-12-06T11:48:26-07:00 Guest Contributor

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

By Paula Huston, author of A Season of Mystery

Years ago, when our blended family of four little blondes between the ages of three and eight was still so new that Mike and I were making at least one significant parental mistake a day, our first Christmas together came roaring in like a freight train, dramatically compounding the stress. Not only were there the other sets of parents to deal with, not to mention four grumpy kids who did not yet like each other much and weren’t that wild about being together for the holidays, but we ourselves both came from large families with entrenched traditions that made it even more difficult to come up with a workable holiday schedule. Plus, how were we going to the handle the financial outlay required to buy presents for our recently doubled collection of siblings and nieces and nephews and parents? Then Mike hit upon an idea that might reduce at least part of the anxiety: what if we made all our gifts this year, the same item for everyone?

I was dubious. It sounded like a lot of work, and the work of parenting four reluctant young step-siblings was more than enough already. Just where did he think we were going to get the time to make gifts? But he promised me he’d come up with something beautiful, yet so simple that even the three-year-old could help out. Still doubtful but without any viable ideas of my own, I told him to go for it.

And thus we spent several pre-Christmas weekends–times I normally would have been out trudging morosely through the malls–huddled together around the kitchen table, glueing and varnishing flat-bottomed, 8 1/2 by 11” sleighs, meant to be used after the holiday as desk-top mail trays. Mike cut the pieces on his jigsaw in the garage, we all worked on assembly (twenty-two of them that year), and then we focused on the baking end of the operation: my Minnesota grandmother’s carmel corn, Norma’s cookies (named after a woman who used to work with my dad that nobody, including him, could remember anymore), dream bars made from one of two competing family recipes, and bags of cracked walnuts from our neighbor’s tree. The kids used the empty shells to make little boats, each of which was occupied by an extremely cute mouse (three small fur-balls held together by glue and random globs of melted carmel, plus goggly black eyes I bought at the crafts store). These completely useless creatures went into the sleighs along with all the other goodies. And then we set out to deliver them in person.

Despite all the time and energy it took to make our own presents, this Christmas turned out to be the least stressful in years. Why? Because except for the few gifts we bought for each child, we did not go near the stores. Because we spent very little money. Because the whole family (not just the mom) was involved in the project. And mostly because we had so much fun.

Even though our “official” Christmas time together would always be quite limited–the realities of step-family life often presented unforeseen, last-minute obstacles–the homemade gift tradition helped us celebrate together as a family despite the difficult schedule. As we thought about what we’d make next (jars of jam from our berries, topped with hand-painted covers; baskets of baked goods covered by napkins sewn by the girls on my mom’s ancient machine), we learned to pull together in spite of the wounds of divorce. And goofy though our presents were, people seemed to appreciate them because at some level they knew we’d offered what is most precious in our frenetic day and age: our valuable time and energy.

In our case, the best cure for Christmas-induced stress turned out to be the labor of our hands. When we deliberately stepped out of the usual Christmas rush and focused instead on creating something beautiful, simple, and useful–or at the very least, tasty–we experienced for ourselves what the ancient Christian monks discovered over 1,500 years ago: that devoting oneself to a repetitive physical task, especially one involving the fingers, brings peace to the mind and calm to the soul. Sharing this craftsmanship with others adds a whole new dimension, one enjoyed by the communal Amish during their quilting sessions or barn-raisings. Joint labor performed in the right spirit can lead us to love.

Which is no doubt why, nearly thirty years later, I still put a couple of those silly walnut boats, occupied by their by-now tattered fur-ball mice, under the tree each year.

Paula Huston, a National Endowment for the Arts Creative Writing Fellow, has published fiction and essays for more than twenty years. She was co-editor and essayist forSignatures of Grace: Catholic Writers on the Sacraments. Her life in a rural setting and travels in the Third World provide the background for The Holy Way.

A Camaldolese Benedictine oblate, Huston is married, has four grown children plus young grandchildren, and lives in rural Arroyo Grande, California.

For more on Paula Huston’s latest book, A Season of Mystery: 10 Spiritual Practices for Embracing a Happier Second Half of Life, visit the Patheos Book Club here.

Uncategorized

Previous Post

December 5, 2012

Jews, Christians and Muslims? Do Any Two People Worship the Same God?

Next Post

December 10, 2012 The Invitation of the Beatitudes: A Video Q&A with Josh Graves

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Author Q&A Book Review Christian Living Church Leadership Stump a Scholar Theology Uncategorized

Select a Month June 2022 March 2021 October 2020 August 2020 February 2019 November 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 November 2016 October 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Who told God, "I am slow of speech and of tongue"?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Moses Samuel Isaiah Aaron