One month until Christmas.
That’s what the lady said! One month!
Unfortunately, I was sitting in the dentist chair (actually half sitting, half lying) when she shared this information with me.
I think she was trying to distract me because she was waving these strange silver things around as she chatted, and I had a distinct feeling she was going to use them soon. On me!
One month, I repeat, silently, hoping she can read my eyes, which look properly shocked from her words. I cannot, of course, voice my shocked surprise that there is only one month until Christmas, because I am, after all, at the dentist.
Who can talk when you are at the dentist? Talking is definitely not an option, even though the nice people holding the scary looking silver instruments seem to ask you all kinds of silly questions when your mouth is propped open, and they are digging around inside there ruthlessly.
“Do you kids live around here? How many grandchildren do you have? Are you ready for Christmas? And when you respond with the usual glug, glug, glug, they say cheerily, “that’s nice,” just like you have completed a coherent sentence.
My trip to the dentist was painfully long and as much as I imagined myself out of the dentist chair numerous times during the two hours, I was in it, it simply did not happen for what seemed like forever.
And finally, when I was driving home, after running my slightly frozen tongue over my teeth to ensure they were all present and accounted for, I thought of two things.
My first thought was of my bank account which seemed to have declined rather drastically and quickly.
And my second thought was, “Christmas is only a month away.”
Wow! How did that happen?
If only it were colder. If only we had snow. If only we had to dig our cars out of a couple of snowdrifts.
Who said any of the above, ever? Not me, that is for sure.
But as we head into the first week of December it does seem like Mother Nature got her dates mixed up, doesn’t it. Even the reindeers and the Santas and the snowmen perched on people’s lawns in all their plastic wonder seem a little misplaced, somehow.
As I drive home in the balmy November sunshine, I decide not to be distracted or confused by the weather, any longer.
“There is only a month until Christmas,” I tell my husband, fairly bursting through the front door, so eager was I to share my news flash.
“We need to focus. We need to buy stuff now.”
After I make this earthshaking statement, we stare at each other wordlessly. Finally, we spring into action and pour ourselves another coffee. Against all protocol, we decide to buy the first of the stuff we need online. And then we find out the next available shipment for the said item is due to arrive Jan. 15.
“That’s not good,” I say, needlessly.
Well, here it is two days later, and Christmas is less than a month away now.
There is still no snow and we have purchased no presents as of yet.
But I’m not too worried. I know it will all come together. The presents will be bought, the stockings hung, and Santa will arrive right on schedule.
It’s all about Christmas miracles and believing.
Just believing!
Treena Mielke is a Central Alberta writer. She lives in Sylvan Lake with her family.