Friday Writings #207: In Between

 

Hello again, dear Word Weavers –

Here Come the Holidays! 

Here we are – so suddenly, it seems – nearly halfway through December already, and rapidly heading for Christmas. And this is our final post for 2025, as we take our end-of-year break. Magaly will be back on January 2nd to welcome us into the new year.

In the Western world, shops are already decorated for Christmas, and people are beginning to plan their celebrations and gift-givings. Even those of us who are not particularly religious – or of other religions than Christianity – often join in the celebratory aspects: the giving, the feasting, the family reunions. It’s traditionally a time of love and joy.

Christmas, and its month of December, punctuate the year. We think of it as an ending, a full stop; and we think of the start of the following year as beginning not merely a new sentence but a whole new chapter. The time between Christmas and New Year strikes me as a liminal space: one of those between times, or thresholds, when magic is believed to happen more easily. Google tells me that liminal spaces are ‘times of transition,’ notable for ‘suspension of normalcy’ and ‘a shift in perception.’ Nowadays the whole month of December seems to have become such a time! I would also call them times of transformation.

 

Poised on the threshold. (My previous cat, Selene.) © Rosemary Nissen-Wade 2017

Your optional prompt this week is to let yourself be inspired by the concept of ‘in between,’ whatever that suggests to you. (It need not be about this time of year, though it can be.) 

Guidelines: 369 words or fewer (except for title and notes), one post per person, poetry or prose, new or old, on prompt or off. 

Do read and comment on others’ posts! It’s what creates community. And do leave us a comment here, if you wish or need.

Meanwhile, thank you all for your wonderful and varied writings and your warm and thoughtful comments over these past many months. All our different styles and preoccupations make such a rich kaleidoscope! Two of the things I like best to do are to read and to write. Here, we all get to enjoy both of those activities anew, again and again. Each and every one of you contributes to that mutual enjoyment. 

Also, great big thanks from me to Magaly and Rommy for ensuring that everything behind the scenes works well and happily!

Greetings of the Season! Happy holidays / holy days, all those of you who are having them.

Next time: On January 2nd, we'll resume with the prompt: Fireworks!