WinterScape Farm by the Norwegian Artist, Steve Henderson
As I prepare to shut down my computer for the Christmas holidays, I wonder — do people troll around in cyberspace, reading blogs — like this one, for instance — over holiday weekends, or are they busy mixing the mint flavored Irish Creme with the coffee and goat’s milk — like over here, for instance — and settling down for an intense game of cribbage?
Between Facebook and Twitter and Stumbleupon and Digg and Reddit and Linked In and My Space and Have I Missed Any, we modern folks can spend an awful lot of time parked in front of a screen.
From the standpoint of someone who markets online for Steve Henderson Fine Art, not to mention my own blog, I am grateful that people are wandering around on the Internet, but at the same point, I sincerely hope that these same people take time, over Christmas, to shut everything off, brew some tea, and sit around the living room with living, breathing human beings.
Years ago, when we lived in town, we traveled six miles to my parents for Christmas dinner, and the highlight of the trip was passing by the shopping mall: for that one day, Christmas Day, it was completely closed, the parking lot empty, as every employee of every little store was given the time off to be with family and loved ones.
After the Autumn Rain, by the Norwegian Artist, Steve Henderson
It is not as if someone would be running out of specialized basketball court shoes, candycane scented soap, or black and purple striped socks, over Christmas Day.
While I have no sugarplum illusions that cyber activity will cease over Christmas Day (and yes, I realize that not everyone celebrates Christmas), I sincerely hope that people look forward to the 2011 New Year as a fresh opportunity to connect and re-connect with family, friends, and potential friends in a myriad of ways: Facebook, great; e-mail, quick and free; Twitter, rapid-fire updates; texting — please, not when you’re driving.
Marrying well with these communication methods are a personal note on nice stationary to a friend, an evening glass of wine with the spouse, a game of cards with a sibling, serious time with a quality book just by oneself. No cell phone, no Ipod, no Blackberry, no laptop, no electronics.
Merry Christmas, everyone.
Late Spring Snowpack by the Norwegian Artist, Steve Henderson
This Woman Writes by Carolyn Henderson 
I confess I’ll be in front of a screen this weekend – but writing. I have a wealth of time, and I plan to make good use of it – which does *not* include Facebook!
Merry Christmas to you and yours as well – thank you for a wonderful blog.
Ah, time! Enjoy that wonderful gift, and write, write, write — and be firm with Facebook (I say this because I know my weakness in that area — “I’ll just take a peek.”
Merry Christmas to you!
Merry Christmas to you all, and a safe and happy new year. Cell will be on, waiting for kids to NOT call because they are stuck. Can hardly wait to see all the family.
Well, that sounds like a fine reason for the cell to be on — and I hope that they don’t get stuck! Enjoy that family!
Guilty as charged 🙂 But still enjoying lots of fam time, soaking up the slowness of these days. Oh may the calm traverse into the next year, or at least into next week when I will be back in Houston, back at work, and back to being Mom of the House instead of beloved oldest daughter!
Merry Christmas to you too!
Of course it’s hard to resist — look at me, on December 24, sitting in front of the computer desk. To my credit, I just got here, after a full, happy morning of cleaning the bathroom and steam cleaning the floors. Odd, the things we do. I have so little time to devote to housework that it almost — almost — seems relaxing, especially when 5 other people are cleaning other things so that the place doesn’t look like a Toddler hit it (which she has).
But now we’re going to bake cookies and, after that, I’ll sit down to the 16th or 17th showing of Pride and Prejudice with the females of the family and knit away on my hat. Crab quiche for dinner tonight!
Merry merry Christmas to you — and the New Year is going to be a great one for all of us!