Julio’s coworker, Ralph offered as he came into the office after lunch.
“Thanks,” Julio waved. “I’ll pass.
“Feeling a little scroogy?”
“So I’ve been told, although I loved
Christmas when I was a kid, even all the church stuff. I was an altar boy,” Julio recalled.
“Me too,” Ralph said. “You know today is the Feast of the Immaculate Conception?”
“Oh yeah, December 8th!” Julio nodded. “Do you still go to mass?”
“Sometimes, though I go to a different church now, one that acknowledges all religions,” Ralph shared. Many of the customs of Christmas come from the ancient Romans, you know. Christopher and I both love ceremony and ritual.”
“Hmmm…” Julio muttered. “I get overwhelmed. It’s like everywhere you go they try to cram Christmas spirit down your throat. Though, I’m not complaining about the eggnog. It’s all the shopping, decorating, the kids’ concerts and pageants, more shopping… and, I never know what to get Dina for Christmas.”
Julio found himself recounting the brouhaha over the angel to Ralph.
“Well, don’t get her an angel,” Ralph advised.
“No?”
“Oh no, that’d be too obvious now.”
“So…do you have any suggestions?”
“You have to pay attention,” Ralph admonished.
“Uh oh,” Julio moaned.
“Be observant. Notice what she’s interested in.”
“Can’t I just ask her?’
Ralph closed his eyes as if in pain and shook his head. “No, you cannot.” He looked at the office clock. “We’ll talk later.”
Julio sighed again. “Yeah, thanks.”
When Julio came home that evening, Dina told him that Hana would be joining them for dinner. Good, Julio thought to himself. He’d listen to their conversation to try and get a clue what Dina might want for Christmas.
Hana arrived, looking flushed from the cold. The temperature had dropped that evening and it was much cooler than usual, even for December. She slipped off her coat before handing Dina a small gift bag.
Dina looked into the bag and pulled out a small celestial being in colorful robes, sitting on a cloud.
“Oh!” She gasped, holding the figure up for all to see.
“It’s Bodhi Day,” Hana announced. “I went to the service, so I stopped in the book store and found her! She’s not Hapa, but she’s Japanese.”
“She’s beautiful!” Dina exclaimed.
“But sort of obvious,” Julio thought to himself.
“Would it be inappropriate for me to put her with my other angels?” Dina asked Hana.
“Nah!” Hana smiled. “She’s Buddhist, she’s accepting.”
“What’s Bodhi Day?” Gustvo asked.
“It’s the day Buddha reached enlightenment under the Bodhi tree,” Hana explained.
“Really?” Julio said. “Today is also the Day of Immaculate Conception.”
Everyone looked to him in surprise.
“What’s immaculate conception? Kazu asked, struggling over the big words.
Julio turned to Dina. “Have we had the regular conception discussion yet?”
“It’d be interesting to hear your version,” Dina told him.
“Ok, how about I try to explain it over dinner,” Julio said.
Dina took Hana’s arm as they followed the boys into the dining room
To be continued December 9...
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