Monkey, December 2021
There is a better thing than the observance of Christmas day, and that is, keeping Christmas. Are you willing to forget what you have done for other people, and to remember what other people have done for you; to ignore what the world owes you, and to think what you owe the world; to put your rights in the background, and your duties in the middle distance, and your chances to do a little more than your duty in the foreground; to see that your fellow-men are just as real as you are, and try to look behind their faces to their hearts, hungry for joy; to own that probably the only good reason for your existence is not what you are going to get out of life, but what you are going to give to life; to close your book of complaints against the management of the universe, and look around you for a place where you can sow a few seeds of happiness — are you willing to do these things even for a day? Then you can keep Christmas. And if you can keep it for a day, why not always? ~Henry Van Dyke, American author and clergyman
Merry Christmas from me and Monkey! We’ll be taking a few days off during the holidays to celebrate with Domer and grandma, and I can’t promise (but I’ll try) to get around to visit you all before then. See you in the new year!
Musings by an ND Domer's Mom 
Debbie, I absolutely LOVE this post!
And this sums it up perfectly…
“are you willing to do these things even for a day? Then you can keep Christmas. And if you can keep it for a day, why not always? ”
A-MEN! To me, Christmas is a state of mind that can “be” all year long.
Merry Christmas, dear friend. Wishing you, Monkey, Domer and Grandma a beautiful Christmas! X
P.S. the photo is precious!
A “Christmas state of mind” somehow feels like a most welcome thing, especially now after the miserable past two years many of us have had. I’m glad you enjoyed this quote, Ron. It sort of spoke to me, too.
Here’s hoping you have a lovely Christmas! Are you expecting it to be white? Nothing like that here; in fact, it’s supposed to be seasonably warm. Kind of like celebrating on the Mississippi Gulf Coast again, ha! xx
Merry Christmas, Debbie! Hope you and your family have a lovely time! 🎅🍾🎄🐶
I hope your Christmas will be wonderful, FF. I know you and Tommy are still missing dear Tuppence (as I always will miss Dallas), but I’m glad you have each other. Here’s to a better new year, too!
What a great Christmas portrait, Monkey! Beautiful quote, Debbie! Many blessings to you as you keep Christmas this year and always…
Thank you, Miss Barbara! I Monkey didn’t want to pose, but Mama bribed me with a treat, and I’m a dog who never refuses food. Now Mama says she should’ve had me groomed before photographing me. Huh! I’m a dog, not a dress-up doll! Happy Christmas to you and yours!
Wanting to keep Christmas in this beautiful giving spirit. Happy holy-days!
They *are* holy-days, aren’t they, Kathy?! Thanks so much for dropping by. Here’s a wish that you and yours have a most merry Christmas … and that 2022 will be better all around!
Merry Christmas to you, Domer, Grandma, and Monkey, Debbie. 🎄
Thank you much, John. I hope you, the Producer, Lucy, Twiggy, and the rest of your family have a beautiful holiday season. And know that this year, we, too, have no snow so I can’t even offer to send you any!
We had enough last year to last a lifetime. Thanks anyway.
That’s a wonderful passage. At first, I thought it would be Dickens; I guess it’s the echoes of his A Christmas Carol. I always smile a little at people who think Christmas is “over” on December 26. The Twelve Days of Christmas is more than a song, and ‘keeping Christmas’ as a season — and more — always is good.
Merry Christmas to you, Domer, and Monkey, and every good wish for the coming year!
Thank you, Linda. Yes, I had to read this passage a couple of times for its message to sink in, and you’re right: it does ring of Dickens a bit. I refuse to take down decorations until after Epiphany, so I get to prolong the season. It takes some doing, but keeping Christmas as a season year round is a worthy goal!
A very merry Christmas to you and yours and especially to Monkey. What a beauty that dog is!
Thank you, Laurie. He is a beauty — would that his “evil twin” could be exorcized and leave us with his sweet self!
Lovely! Merry Christmas Debbie! 🛐🎄🎁🎅🏼🦌❄🎊⛄
Thanks, Cindy! Hope your Christmas and New Year’s are simply wonderful!
Monkey has grown into one handsome boy. 🙂 Hope you have a wonderful Christmas, Debbie!
Thanks very much, Eliza. He does have his moments, ha! Merry Christmas and Happy 2022 to you and yours!
Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas! Monkey is adorable under the tree.
Aw, thank you, ma’am — hope your Christmas was lovely and that 2022 will be better for ALL of us!
A belated Merry Christmas, Debbie, and a very Happy New Year!!! Much Love to you and Monkey!! xo
Thanks very much, Amy — love and good wishes coming right back at you!!
Debbie, I absolutely LOVE these sentiments! This is what the world needs to hear right now. If we all took these words to heart and acted on them, this would be a much better place in spite of viruses and politics and the constant stream of bad news. Thank you for sharing this!
I hope you had a wonderful Christmas and New year!
I’m glad it resonated with you, Tee! I loved it, too. Yes, the holidays were lovely, and I hope yours were as well. Now, let’s pray 2022 is better than the year we’ve just come through!