Jingle Smells
So my second-grade daughter comes walking in the house yesterday singing, “Jingle Bells, Batman smells, Robin laid an egg.” ??? I have a few issues with this. First of all, whoever coined this parody had to have done it over 50 years ago, and so much for the phrase “quality lasts.” Secondly, my daughter doesn’t know who Batman and Robin are. But thirdly, and most importantly, it got me thinking about the smells of Christmas Times. I love the smell of a Christmas tree. I just close my eyes and it brings me right back to days of being an anticipating child. This year we had our tree up for 5 days without time to place a single ornament, but it just didn’t matter, the whole family room smells like a Douglas fir. The next smell I pondered was the kitchen. Memories of my wife and my Mom, all dusted in flour, spending all those hours baking festive cookies, breads and pastries. What great joy carnivorously dismembering gingerbread men. Even the smell of nutmeg sends me; I don’t even have to have any nog beneath it to enjoy it. And then the grand finale of walking in the house, taking off your boots and realizing the whole house smells like the feast! Pumpkin, apple, and cinnamon scents dancing out from the kitchen. This Christmas season I promise to stop and smell the peppermint.
Anticipation….
I love adventures and surprises! Especially when I am the one organizing the moments of delight. There is something about knowing that I am part of creating an experience that will make someone happy, that raises my Joy Factor. I have hosted many surprise parties, taken Matt on surprise trips and left unexpected goodies for people to find. I love to give gifts for no reason, as well as for special occasions. The surprises can be large or small – it does not matter. What is important is that I enjoy the process of doing it and that the recipient(s) enjoy the process of receiving.
This past weekend, I had an opportunity to do just that. When making plans with Art and Robin to get together on Saturday, I asked them if they wanted to go on an adventure. They were up for it and the fun began for all of us. Over the next few days, emails went back and forth with a few questions from Robin to asssure she was prepared, so she could enjoy the adventure to the utmost. Questions like, what should I wear (very important question regarding the cute factor), should she bring bug spray, another good one for a July evening and cash or credit? Once those were answered, they were open and ready for what the evening entailed. Anticipation was present for all of us.
Saturday came, and off we went to Smyrna-yes, outside the perimeter people, to have dinner and see a show. Not just any show- we spent the evening watching Van Heinekien, a Van Halen cover band. It was a blast! We laughed and reminisced about the past and our Van Halen experiences.
As “David Lee Roth” sang about Beautiful Girls and Dancing in the Streets, I sat back and relished the joy that was happening not only at our table, but in the room. The show was fun, and the journey that got us there added to the experience.
How can a little anticipation bring more joy into your life?
The Joy Factor
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