Edward Burne-Jones, Star of Bethlehem
Some of us -- and you know who you are
--struggle to get into the spirit of the holiday season. No need to name names.
But believe me, you have plenty of company.
For many, the ghosts of holidays past are
too much with us, as Dickens might suggest; so perhaps is Wordsworth’s world of
“getting and spending,” as we race from Black Friday to the finish line under
the lavishly decorated tree (though Camille Paglia, in her book Break Blow
Burn, puts a new spin on explicating that oft-quoted phrase from the famous
poem; suffice it to say the early Romantics were, well, romantic).
We cringe to recall the hard work and
expense poured into celebratory meals gone utterly amok. The guests who wander in ninety minutes late;
the one-upmanship over cranberry relish recipes; the finicky eater who won’t
touch the entrée or six of the seven elaborate side dishes.
I’m thinking of the mother of a friend
who, in a fit of despair or exasperation, threw the blasted turkey out the
kitchen window, which one would assume put something of a crimp in the family
gathering. I’ve pulled a few slightly
bloody carcasses out of the oven myself -- the still-frozen underbellies of
overstuffed birds simply refusing to roast. Then there was a leg-pulling over a
spiral cut ham that sent a sensitive relative to another room in tears. Yes, that
was a fabulous holiday indeed.
Some of us, missing those no longer at the
table, can’t help but feel a little sadness creep in this time of year. Or, in
the fever pitch of shopping and planning and partying, we find ourselves so
overwhelmed that when the day itself arrives, we’re physically and emotionally spent.
Occasionally, I’ve wanted to greet guests at the door with, “Here’s your turkey
sandwich. Have a safe journey home.”
It
helps to hold in mind why we’re gathering together in the first place, often
from afar, and to consider that legendary journey long ago, a difficult one, as
T.S. Eliot described it in his Ariel poem, Journey of the Magi:
A cold coming we had of it,
Just the worst time of the year
For a journey, and such a long journey;
The ways deep and the weather sharp,
The very dead of winter.
Soon we will come into winter with its
weather “sharp.” We know what the Magi sought, however in Eliot’s poem, simple
joy is not to be found in Bethlehem: the birth of the Savior summons in the
death of the old order. So it is with
all that’s new and unfamiliar. It doesn’t hurt to be reminded that it’s
frequently a tough, hard road to a desired destination, and that even mixed
blessings are blessings still.
Now it’s December. Time to catch our
breath on the fast track to celebrations both sacred and secular. By seeking out
a bit of tangible proof that joy exists not merely in myth, we are better able
to reach the end of the holidays with our spirits lifted, not simply with the
satisfaction of having lived through them for another year. To that end, I took myself on a journey recently
to our own Bethlehem, close by and with an easy highway that needs no
sure-footed camel to traverse.
Bethlehem NH, 1907
Bethlehem
was first known as Lloyd’s Hill, but according to the official town website,
voters resolved to change the name after the revolution, apparently to break
from loyalist’s roots. Less than 3000 people live in Bethlehem proper, which in
the Gilded Age became a resort for the rich and powerful, luring profiteers and
presidents alike. In the 1920s, it was
the headquarters of the Hebrew Hay Fever Relief Association, as many Jewish
families from New York vacationed or decided to reside in Bethlehem, finding
the clear mountain air alleviated their symptoms.
Bethlehem is quieter now, though stately
old homes of more ostentatious times stand guard along the main street as you
drive into the village, where shops, antique stores, and eateries await. On a
recent Saturday morning, patrons walking the streets were few; a restaurant I
had hoped to visit was closed. A sign in the window, illustrated with a photo
of a bear, indicated that the establishment was in ‘hibernation’ until early
December. Business hours on another shop
were described this way:
OPEN most days about 9 or 10
Occasionally as Early as 7, But SOME DAYS
As Late As 12 or 1.
WE CLOSE About 5:30 or 6
Sometimes as Late as 11 or 12.
SOME DAYS OR Afternoons, WE
Aren’t Here At All, and Lately
I’ve Been Here Just About All the Time,
Except When I’m Someplace Else,
But I Should Be Here Then, Too.
At any rate, I found that business and
others were open and well worth the trip.
Two antique shops satisfied my passion for searching out beautiful things
at bargain prices. Ragamuffins Design offered select antiques and gently used
books and clothing, along with oriental rugs, batik scarves, and hand crafted
ornaments and greeting cards. In Country
Collectibles, I examined at length lovely platters, glassware, and ornate
silver-plated tableware and serving pieces. From this store I came away with a
delicate glass-domed plate – the perfect showcase for iced and decorated Christmas
cookies.
Country Collectibles
If you visit Bethlehem, you’ll have to
stop at Local Works Marketplace, the gallery of handcrafted items and specialty
foodstuffs from the Women’s Rural Entrepreneurial Network. One room is devoted to wines, cheeses, and row
upon row of small batch local preserves and condiments. WREN members fill the store with gorgeous jewelry;
healthy dog treats and cool canine supplies; pottery and original paintings;
unusual cards and prints; and fragrant soaps and balms. Here I found a skein of
hand-dyed wool for a friend, a great gift for someone unlikely to have sought
it out for herself.
Local Works, WREN Gallery
After a few hours of gratifying hunting
and gathering, I enjoyed a stunningly good lunch of spinach-artichoke heart
quiche and a bowl of tomato-roasted pepper soup at Maia Papaya, a small café
next door to the post office, where some 50,000 seasonal cards are postmarked each
year. There’s still time.
On Saturday, December 7th, the
town will host the annual Christmas In Bethlehem celebration, which kicks off
with the Methodist Church Bazaar and Santa’s Workshop for younger children; a
cornhole tournament for those nine and up; a tour of Dawn Cottage; and a late
afternoon spaghetti supper. Main Street will close at 6 p.m. for all sorts of festive
entertainment, including bell ringers; several tree lightings (arrive earlier
in the day and cut down your own tree at The Rocks Estate); tractor rides; the
arrival of Santa himself; fireworks; and even a giant bonfire, which might warm
the heart of those among us of more pagan sympathies.
In our own backyard, you’ll find a day of
merriment and light, and of simple joys, enough to brighten the disposition of
even the weariest traveler on the long holiday journey, and a reminder to be
grateful for the abundance and blessings so close at hand. In Bethlehem, New
Hampshire.
Some of the local libations available at Local Works.
This column appears in the December 2013 issue of The North Star Monthly. Check out their site.
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