Christmas Lights Before the Big Storm – Photo: L. Weikel

Preparing For the Storm

Well, no one can look at the major stories in today’s news cycle and not have the question at least cross their minds, “Huh. I wonder if it was in the stars?” Eclipse? What eclipse? Meanwhile, my neck of the woods, the mid-Atlantic and Northeast region of the United States, is preparing for ‘the’ storm that just might cap off 2020 in the manner in which we’re accustomed to being treated by this year-of-all-years: brutally.

Today was a huge day of enormous contrasts lurching from one spectrum to the other. Not least of these being the United States breaching the appalling record of 300,000 Covid-19 related deaths while on the same day rolling out and beginning administration of a vaccine for that same disease astonishingly ahead of predictions.

And of course we can’t forget the seemingly never-ending saga of the 2020 presidential election. Apparently if we didn’t have the good fortune of a solid civics course growing up, we’re being given a crash tutorial in it over the past six weeks. Sadly, I don’t think the obscure challenges and desperate last-minute attempts to thwart the will of the people will end with today’s formal Electoral College certification, either.

While we were treated to watching the broadcast of arcane but somehow reassuring legislative protocols being enacted by electors across the nation, we were simultaneously reminded that more than one of our states required said electors to be either swept into chambers via secret passages or forced to meet non-locally due to credible threats of violence against them for doing their jobs.

Yep. Must be something in the stars.

Need a Distraction

Beyond the somewhat dramatic events of the outside world, my family has experienced some of its own drama. While I’m not one to share the details of others’ traumas, suffice it to say, the day was marked by two falls and one emergency surgery. Stressful to be sure; but by all appearances, at least two out of three of these events could lead to some essential and long-awaited opportunity for change.

Not a walk in the park, though. And definitely revelatory of some long-suspected obfuscation. How eclipse-like (wink).

All of which leads me to an overwhelming desire for some distraction. In light of the winter storm bearing down upon us (over a foot of snow, perchance?), I’ve decided to revisit my culinary quest down the memory hole to Christmases past that I indulged in last year. Yes, I’m going to bake some kiffels. And this year I’m going to do it before Christmas actually arrives!

To the Grocery Store

Thus I am heading out tomorrow to gather the supplies I will need to recreate one of the best memories of Christmas from my childhood: Hungarian kiffels. I’m hoping that this year I’ll be able to dive right into turning out some decent confections. Last year entailed a significant amount of both trial and error as well as seemingly divine (if niece-conveyed) intervention.

This Christmas promises to have its ups and down, its challenges, and hopefully some unexpected moments of brilliance and love.

I want to savor as much goodness as possible. As I’ve said a couple of times in the past several days, 2020 and its after-effects aren’t over yet, and the next six weeks are probably going to be even more intense than we think we can handle.

But we can. And we will. And Goddess willing, as we weather the snowstorm barreling our way this week, we’ll at least have some kiffels to see us through.

More Christmas Lights Before the ‘Big Storm’ – Photo: L. Weikel

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