I now live in a house with a Christmas tree in the window. This makes me part of a Christmas card scenario, and it fills me with holiday delight.

I have collected Hallmark ornaments since before most of you were born or thought of 1973, and this is the first year since that year that I haven’t been able to get any of this year’s.

There just isn’t any money for it.

It’s all right, though, really it is, because in the closet just to the left of where I’m sitting as I type, there are over twenty Xerox paper boxes, each containing over a hundred ornaments. Between 1973 and last year, there was a lot of time to collect ornaments.

Ordinarily, we have two large trees, one in the living room and one in the dining room, each covered with ornaments, literally COVERED. Hub has a tree down in the family room that he never takes down, but I don’t consider that a real Christmas tree. It’s only a holiday tree if it appears during the holiday and no other time.

This year I put up only one tree. I opened only a couple of boxes of ornaments. I didn’t put up the lighted garlands, and I didn’t set angels and candles all over the house.

I did arrange the two Nativity scenes, because what is Christmas without the creche?

Last night, Hub and I sat in the living room looking at the one tree, and we agreed that it was beautiful, and that it was enough.

It was beautiful, and it was enough. What else is there, really?

Times are hard right now, but in our house, there is beauty and there is enough.

Please cross your fingers that it will remain so, for us, and for you, and for all of mankind.

Mamacita, Scheiss Weekly