I love our Christmas decorations. The world is not decked out. So our little corner of Christmas looks pretty awesome. None of the neighbors have a bigger tree let alone a tree. It is our little winter wonder land focused on Jesus' birth.
Hanging over the extra door into our apartment (don't ask though the question begs to be asked~ why an extra door?) are four stockings. One for Hubster from many moons prior with a lovely animal sewn to the front, maybe a moose, and three semi matching stockings from the Dollar Store in Duluth. They hang below the shedding tinsel and above the flannel Nativity stuck to the door where Mary looks like she is giggling into her hands.
As we sat eating lunch Heavenly Jannat said in her oh so suggestive tone, "Auntie?"
From our history I knew a question was pending that would try to help her peek into our world, our reality, our culture. She would try not to censure us but often she missed the mark and I am content with that. Her trying to understand and yet fitting our strangeness into her framework.
"Yes."
"Those are socks."
"Hmmmm?"
"Socks. Those things hanging there, they are SOCKS?!?"
Her face showed her confusion, mingled with a little displeasure and just plain wonder. Who would hang up socks on their door? Socks are for your feet not for your door. And I, I was at a loss for why do I hang up socks? We just do it to celebrate I tried to explain avoiding Santa Claus who just muddies the water of our already very vague holiday where some think we worship a tree and hang up socks because we are celebrating the Coming of god Santa. Socks don't fit into the equation.
At this I could not contain my mirth. Our little tiny tradition seen through eyes from the outside kind of looks a little silly. After I had a good laugh I tried to explain.
Instead of Santa I focused on the gifts of the kings to Jesus and laughed at my own silly culture. I talked about Saint Nicholas who gave gifts to the poor and how our Holy Book says this is a good thing, a pure thing, to watch out for the widow and orphan. She nodded sagely but I think the question persisted in her eyes,
"But why the socks?"
Hanging over the extra door into our apartment (don't ask though the question begs to be asked~ why an extra door?) are four stockings. One for Hubster from many moons prior with a lovely animal sewn to the front, maybe a moose, and three semi matching stockings from the Dollar Store in Duluth. They hang below the shedding tinsel and above the flannel Nativity stuck to the door where Mary looks like she is giggling into her hands.
As we sat eating lunch Heavenly Jannat said in her oh so suggestive tone, "Auntie?"
From our history I knew a question was pending that would try to help her peek into our world, our reality, our culture. She would try not to censure us but often she missed the mark and I am content with that. Her trying to understand and yet fitting our strangeness into her framework.
"Yes."
"Those are socks."
"Hmmmm?"
"Socks. Those things hanging there, they are SOCKS?!?"
Her face showed her confusion, mingled with a little displeasure and just plain wonder. Who would hang up socks on their door? Socks are for your feet not for your door. And I, I was at a loss for why do I hang up socks? We just do it to celebrate I tried to explain avoiding Santa Claus who just muddies the water of our already very vague holiday where some think we worship a tree and hang up socks because we are celebrating the Coming of god Santa. Socks don't fit into the equation.
At this I could not contain my mirth. Our little tiny tradition seen through eyes from the outside kind of looks a little silly. After I had a good laugh I tried to explain.
Instead of Santa I focused on the gifts of the kings to Jesus and laughed at my own silly culture. I talked about Saint Nicholas who gave gifts to the poor and how our Holy Book says this is a good thing, a pure thing, to watch out for the widow and orphan. She nodded sagely but I think the question persisted in her eyes,
"But why the socks?"
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