Holiday Scraps
The following is a guest blog post by Jed Dearybury!
No doubt the last few weeks have been full of hustle and bustle for many of us. With Hanukkah ending last week and Christmas coming next week, the festivities are at an all time high.
It is nothing new, it happens every year during December.
We often want to slow down and enjoy the moments, but this thing pulls us one way and that thing pulls us another. Finding the time to just sit and take in all of the joy that is the holiday season can be difficult, and it may make you feel like you are left with scraps of time scattered here and there, but those random tiny bits can be meaningful as well. Don’t overlook them.
Playing rock, paper, scissors only takes a few seconds. The winner of a family RPS championship can be declared in just a few minutes.
Taking a walk can happen at just about any place at any time. Yes, it may be cold, so bundle up.
Our good friend Cassie Stephens, shared online once that she likes to pack a little bag full of art goodies that she can use in a quick moment while waiting for appointments and such.
This is a great way to spend a moment of scrap time in between gatherings and parties. There’s lots to be said about embracing the nooks and crannies of our time with as much gusto as we do the important things.
Who knows what might come of these tiny moments if we lean into them a bit?
As I think about those scraps of time, I also think about all the scraps of material things that I find myself with this time of year… boxes, tissue paper, ribbon, and lots and lots of cardboard. These too can be used to create something special and unique.
Most people see it as trash, but I see each piece of rubbish as potential…
Maybe the empty tape roll can be the wheel of a car. If you are like me, you use a lot of tape this time of year. If you save all the little rolls you can have four wheels to make a whole car!
Maybe the box that your favorite gift came in can be transformed into next year’s gift tags or a thank you note to the person who gifted you such goodness.
Maybe the empty wrapping paper roll can be cut into 7 different sized pieces and arranged into a fun xylophone.
Maybe the random bits of paper from unwrapped gifts or from where you had to trim a bit off before you wrapped could be collaged to create a fun memory or illustrate a family book.
Maybe the bubble wrap that came inside the shipping from your far away relatives can be used… for popping of course!
I have always had a soft spot for the scraps.
In the days following Christmas, I venture out to the sales and look for the items that have been left behind by the holiday frenzy.
I especially like to go on New Year’s Eve. The things still there by that time are seriously unwanted by most, and they definitely are holiday scraps. I have a special affinity for the ornaments that remain. The broken ones, the ones missing an eye, the otherwise undesirable. '
I buy as many as I can and hang them on a special tree in my house.
I call it my “Misfit Tree.”
It’s filled with the special finds that I happen upon and it has become one of the most special trees in my home. It all started with the gang you see below. These 11 creatures stared at me and begged to be used.
I could feel my empath heart being taught a lesson about loving the unlovable.
Every time I look at the tree, I am reminded that everything has potential.
While scraps may seem like trash to some, to me, they have potential to be beautiful. Isn’t that the message of this whole season of light in the midst of darkness?
As we wrap up this year, look for the scraps, find the good,look for light, embrace potential.
Happy Holidays everyone!
Jed
We hope you will join us on January 6, 2024 for the big day! It’s free for all those who subscribe to the STEM Teachers Club.