Grief & healing: Now onward to December holidays

Christmas and Hanukkah are on the same day this year. Dec. 25 falls midweek this year, and Kwanza is on Dec. 26. So there will celebrating. It will be a very festive week.

My tree is already up. So I’m getting in the spirit. It’s time for me to make a Christmas plan.

Every holiday needs a plan. So I am working on it. It should include decorations, food, preparations and especially what you plan to do on the day itself.

Cooking here at home worked out well at Thanksgiving — it made for a very pleasant day. I kept it simple but it was very nice. I love those wonderful smells that filled the house while roasting.

So I’m going to take the same approach to Christmas. I’ve already decided to cook a leg of lamb, which is what Baheej and I always did. So I need to keep an eye out for one, or perhaps order one to be sure I have one. And I will make the traditional Nazareth style side dishes.

One of my kitties likes both turkey and lamb. The other one sticks to her flaked trout. But she loves a certain tuna treat, so she gets some extra ones. It’s important to remember them at holidays with some special toys or goodies.

So the point is: Whatever your own traditions, we are headed to a very festive season, and it’s important to make it special for yourself, the people you love and your sweet pets.

• Susan Anderson-Khleif of Sleepy Hollow has a doctorate in family sociology from Harvard, taught at Wellesley College and is a retired Motorola executive. Contact her at sakhleif@aol.com.