Simple Christmases Are Treasures

When I joined Substack back in July, I planned to begin posting in January 2024 to fight disinformation. As I began reading my favorite 2 writers, it dawned on me that I needed to share their work.

Today I’m amazed I’ve posted 100 little articles on Substack since August 2023. I decided to dedicate the 101st to the Substackers that make me smarter, happier, and proactive in fighting for saving our Democracy from Trumpists.

Two things have happened since August. First, I read and shared my two beloved, facts-oriented writers: historian Heather Cox Richardson and legal eagle Joyce Vance. I am not focused on followers, subscribers, or money.

As I cook my wee Christmas ham, I’m thinking about how many have so little to celebrate this Christmas. Yet, I also remember childhood Christmases with spam and potatoes fried with an egg and toast. Then there were those empty brown packages under a scraggy tree cut from the woods. I’d give anything to go back because my mother was alive.

Now my retired husband and my 11 year old dog will have a little Christmas dinner of ham, mashed potatoes, peas, dressing, cranberries, rolls and spiked eggnog for dessert. The adult grandchildren will be celebrating with their mother, and we are happy because they are happy running around like rabbits. They have never known poverty.

I thank all my 350+ subscribers and uncounted followers who cherish the same writers on Substack that I do. I have been asked if I’m on the staff of Heather, Joyce’s, Sue’s, Winston’s, Charlene’s teams—haha! I love them all and quite a few others, but I post out of love and respect unswayed by Substack suggestions. I’m simple like that!

The photo below was taken at Christmas when I taught in Sweden long ago. My aunt, uncle, 4 cousins and I skated and played ice hockey on the frozen pond above my uncle’s house.

It is my favorite because I had earned enough money to fly my sweet mother to stay for a month, and I took her to London on the Saga and spent a weekend in Oslo. My mother died 7 years after this photo after we were back in the states. Precious.

Thank you for sharing your writing with me! In 2024 you’ll see many posts that are personal like this one, but many will be pro-Democracy posts sharing the writing of people who don’t spread conspiracy theories or promote Trump. If the latter offends you, do unsubscribe. I want us to be a community to fight fascism first and foremost. 💙🇺🇸💙