Big Christmas in Small Spaces

Christmas 2014 displayed itself in a big way in small spaces. Speaking strictly of my family's experience this year, it is merely an observance of the evolution of the celebration of the spirit of the season for the four of us. Three parties within the range of our home brought to life the joy that we feel when celebrating with our loved ones.

We kicked off the holiday with my sister's second annual party, big with love, music, food, drink and even a magic act to close the evening. 25-30 people inhabited her approximately 1500 sq.ft. home, with most of the activity occurring in the elongated open kitchen/dining/living space of approximately 10 x 40 feet. Meeting and greeting was boisterous, with 95% of the invitees already familiar with each other because of family relations. The excitement over the food was evident with the "ooohs" and "ahhhs," at the placement of each delectable treat on the table.

Food is a family favorite, both to discuss and to consume, so I must address it with each description of the three events. Melanie's party portrays weeks of planning and preparing, with love seeping out of each piece of handcrafted gingerbread or rosemary cookie. The cheese and olive tray, served with unique and tasty crackers, and homemade kale crunchies started off the display. She is an excellent cook, and we had delicious pork tenderloin, crab puffs and hot cheese bakes. Individual attendees brought cheese balls, salads and desserts. The grand finale of the yogurt cheesecake was quickly consumed.

The second small space of the holiday was at brother Jerry's at his family home. Chili, caroling, family and gift giving were a part of the evening, with much additional food to talk about. It was composed of the exact same crew, minus a couple and plus a few, for approximately the same number of individuals attending. This house is another small abode, with the gathering taking place in the area of the home to include the kitchen, dining and living, only in more of a separated square space instead of the long room of the first event. Children from four years of age to adults in their seventies filled the air with talking, laughing and plenty of eating.

And yes, the spread was formidable here too, with delectable dips and dippers, veggies and olives, incredible chili and cornbread, and an array of cookies and candy to hold a bakery in awe. The first course of the evening was eating and drinking, with the second a delightful tour of the neighborhood and spirit-filled caroling with a range of voices to be envied, and the third was the dessert trays, followed by more enjoyable drinks made by Jerry the bartender.

On Christmas Day was the final gathering, held in my own home of just over 1700 square feet, of which the majority of time was again spent in the lateral part of the house of 12' x 40'. The long room contains a kitchen with a bar at the south end, and a dining/living space interrupted by a double-faced fireplace.

The afternoon was the timeline of this party, with guests including my bartender brother (but not as a profession), his lovely family of six and my parents, to be joined by my beloved cousin Karen after our meal. And the meal was fantastic, if I may say so myself. Prime rib and ham were the featured meats, with designer green beans and a carrot creation (it was too good to be called a casserole) brought by my mother, same day rolls, baked potatoes and a cornucopia salad with no critical fresh ingredients missing delivered by my brother's wife, Jenn.

After enjoying a leisurely meal packed onto one dining and one card table (where we had at least two spills),we opened family gifts, played with toys (the children 4-10 and the fathers), several took walks, and the annual players dove into a game of Lord of the Rings RISK conquering Middle Earth. At some point during the afternoon and evening a beautiful cranberry mincemeat pie, cut  out sugar cookies and caramel corn were served. All home made with love.

What I observed is that in the past, the three hosts inhabited much larger estates, but at this point, we are all in smaller abodes. The love present, the joy on the faces of those receiving gifts, and the peacefulness of the many people who interacted over the 2014 Christmas season tells me that possibly, the small space is a more intimate way to celebrate.

Our Savior, Jesus, was born in a tiny barn, having come from Heaven, the largest, most incredible dwelling place in the universe. While we may consider ourselves humbled to be living in  locations with less grandeur, the reality is that we are so blessed to have a solid roof over our heads, heat to protect us from the cold, and a warm, comfortable bed to lie down in at night.

In the new year, I plan to aspire to humility, and to small spaces.