My First Wee Christmas Moment

I spent yesterday evening in the Old City with some dear friends.  The three of us strolled down a not-too-crowded, not-too-pushy Christian Quarter road looking at Arabian coin earrings, beautiful scarves, various trinkets...and Christmas decorations!  That's right.  Someone told Apple (not her real name) about a Christmas shop in the old city and it was as advertised, right down to the miniature santa costumes for children.

I'll post pictures of our tiny Christmas tree tonight after Max and I decorate it, but I had a sweet little moment on the bus on my way home.  I took the Arab bus home from Damascus gate and I ended up sitting by a little Palestinian boy, maybe 10 years old.  I always get a little nervous in these situations because I don't want to sully anyone's purity by my wanton Westernness, so I try to be pretty cautious.

I was looking straight ahead when out of the corner of my eye I saw the tall tip of my Christmas Tree that was sticking out of the bag start to wobble back and forth.  I didn't think a lot of it until it happened again, the top moving faster back and forth.  When I looked down the third time I saw the little boy next to me quickly retracting his hand after flicking the top of the Christmas tree with this index finger.  He had a little mischievous look on his face and my Christmas heart soared.  I showed him the Christmas lights and how the rest of the branches could unfolded to make the tree fuller.  I didn't know how appropriate it was to flaunt my cheap Christmas tree around on the Arab bus so I tried to keep it fairly discreet.  He kept leaning over at points in the journey and flicking it before shoving his hand back onto his lap.  

My young amigo almost ruined the moment when he tried to get a little fresh with my knee after flicking the top of the tree one time, but a quick and fierce "la-ah" took care of that.  It wouldn't be Jerusalem without 10 year olds mildly harassing you, I guess.    

I came home to find that my dear Grandmother had sent me a package with a jingle bell door hangar and Christmas candy.  Max and I are going to decorate the Christmas tree tonight and listen to Sting's steamy Christmas album.  What could be better?