Well here we are again, nearing the end of one more trip around the sun and I for one cannot wait for it to be over. Christmas used to be my favorite time of year, but that was really because of my mom. She would start decorating the house around Thanksgiving, and when I say decorating, I don’t just mean putting up lights—our house looked and smelled like a Hallmark store. Yes, there were lights, but she also had all sorts of ornaments, figurines, and little holiday town squares and villages. She wrapped or swagged garland everywhere she could, displayed her favorite Christmas cards from years past, and sometimes you could barely see the actual Christmas tree because it was absolutely covered with lights, decorations, and tinsel. Lots of tinsel. If you aren’t old enough to remember tinsel (or icicles as it was also known), check the show notes for links to some fantastic vintage Christmas trees. 

It’s not just the decorations that I miss, it’s her and how she was in the world. My mom was the way most people aspire to be around Christmas all the time—it was just more obvious during the holidays. She would regularly buy gifts for multiple families—and not just the children—because she thought that everyone should have a little something to unwrap on Christmas morning. The gifts weren’t fancy—that wasn’t the point. They were just meant to say, “I see you” and to let people know that they matter. She just cared so deeply and she regularly put the needs of others ahead of her own. One of the last things she said to me in the hospital before she died was, “I’m so sorry I’m not going to be there to help you anymore.” If I live to be a hundred, I will never be that selfless. But she was, and it was effortless for her. She just made the world better, especially my world and since she died, this time of year has changed for me. I’m grateful for the life I have and for my small circle of friends and family, but I can’t pretend that this time of year just doesn’t have the same color as it used to. And maybe that’s okay. After all, there are lots of colors, right?

I’m going to take a break from the newsletter for the rest of the year and I’ll be back in January. I’ve actually been working on quite a few things for next year and even if only a few of them come together, I think 2024 could end up being something special. I feel like in some ways I’ve been coasting so I have been rethinking what I want and how I see myself and what that means for the things that I make. I’ll share more about it in the new year but what I can tell you is that there will be more conversations to record, stories to share, and a bunch of new art to make because in terms of my creative practice, those are the things that bring me joy. And since I don’t yet have a store to point you to, I would just invite you to support the artists you find inspiring—even if that’s just signal boosting their work. I know they’ll appreciate it.

Please consider subscribing to Iterations on Substack if you haven’t yet. It’s free and I do have some exciting things in the works for the coming year. I know I say this at the end of every Iteration—but it doesn’t make it any less true—and that is thank you. Thank you for your eyes and for your ears and for your encouragement and support in the form of comments and emails and just telling people about what I do. I appreciate all of it more than you know. I do hope you have a terrific holiday, however you celebrate and I look forward to reconnecting in the new year. 

If there’s something specific you’d like to see from me in 2024, please feel free to reach out by replying, leaving a comment, or emailing me at talkback@jefferysaddoris.com. I’d love to heard from you.

LINKS
20+ Vintage Silver Tinsel Christmas Tree
37 Totally Beautiful Vintage Christmas Tree Decoration Ideas