A few days ago I met with a group of people who I've know just a few months. None of them are of Hungarian heritage and I had mentioned mine to them here and there, without much of a reaction. I didn't know what to think. Do some of them have secret prejudices against Hungarians or, perhaps, me for my heritage?
Today I took a load of clothes to a charity drop off and tonight I start working on decorating, since, by my way of thinking, the twelve days of Christmas has just about begun.
When I was growing up, we didn't bring the tree inside until Christmas Eve, and then left it up until Three Kings. We also bought live trees and then planted them when the snow thawed.
I'm not going to go "all out," with decorating or celebrating, but I do know that first the house has to be neat and clean.
While I was going through some things, I found some books that I'd bought and read, mostly somewhat spiritual, and decided that I would wrap these up, take them with me when I met with my new friends, and let them each choose.
"I think I've mentioned my Hungarian heritage," I said. One woman looked at me, and I thought she was thinking, "Now what's she up to."
"Well, in Hungary, Christmas is all about Jesus, but then there is Saint Nick's day for presents, which is about now! I admit these are books from my personal collection. Each of you pick one!"
As it turned out, every person picked the book that turned out to be the most perfect for them!
The first person to pick, the most curious you might think, is a retired journalist! The last, a book on spirituality and world peace, who had just come back from a religious retreat!
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