As a little kid, I loved the anticipation that set in just seconds after taking the last bite of Thanksgiving turkey. I loved the excitement of preparation...buying presents at the "Secret Santa" store for my family, dreaming about 2 weeks off of school, staying up late to watch a Christmas "special" on television.
I remember making cookies with my mom and sister, while my dad made the occassional drive-by for a spoonful of cookie dough. I remember the fun of the giant cardboard box marked "Xmas" coming down from the attic and a big green tree leaning up on the front porch, just waiting for a spot to be cleared. My house growing up was always decked out for Christmas (tastefully so, of course...no plastic snowman or gaudy window cling decorations for us!) My mom always had poinsettas, cinnamon scented candles, and of course a gingerbread house that would be set up on the buffet with "snow" (I can't remember if she used sugar or some type of fabric stuffing for the snow.) We would take the collectible stone "amish people" figurines and place them accordingly around the house.
As a little kid, I remember going to my Flock grandparents' house for Christmas. This was such a warm and inviting house, full of my crazy cousins, good-natured sparring from my dad and his siblings, and of course Grandma and Grandad. As we got older, the traditions changed a bit and we often spent some part of Christmas day at my parents' friends Tut and Beth's house. This also became a tradition...and the things I think of there are a warm, wood-stove heated house, yummy food like expensive cheese, hanging out with my parents friends and of course lots of laughter.
When we were little, my dad did "Christmas Interviews" with us, videotaping us as we sat on his lap and he questioned us about the year. These videos are hysterical, especially the first one, where we had no clue what an "interview" was, the year we "dressed up" like diva queens in adult sweaters with belts around our waists, or the year Kellie lied about losing her underwear at school. We usually got a new pair of pajamas on Christmas Eve, and of course left out cookies for Santa. My sister and I would sleep in the same bed (as we got older it was sometimes just the same room) and excitedly await the first glimpse of morning light, when we could start whispering and then go wake our parents up. My mom always took the time to put on some make-up and usually a nice sweater, and my parents would drink coffee while we screeched at high decibels and opened up our stockings. There were usually animals involved in the opening of the presents, and afterwards, we'd have a breakfast that usually consisted of apple pancakes. (It should be known that the Christmas morning traditions lasted more in less in this form until last year.)
Beyond my OWN Christmases, I have always loved everything about the holiday. I tend to ignore the negatives, yes, and I know the world isn't one big rosy family outside singing "The First Noel" and sending glad tidings. But I've found that the people around me tend to be just a little bit warmer as the holiday approaches. There still exists good cheer and "glad tidings" among friends. I love the smells of Christmas...cinnamon and pine smells, the greenery and lights that adorn houses, Christmas music that seems to be on everywhere. I absolutely adore the song "Silent Night"--it makes me feel peaceful. I love the visions of cold winter nights. I like things like Late Shoppers nights, eggnog, and holiday parties. In the past I loved that Christmas meant a break from college or work since I needed to travel home.
So for the first time ever, I will be celebrating Christmas in my own home this year. We've had a tree lots of times before, but this is the first time we will actually open presents under it. Kellie and Shawn will be traveling from NC to stay with us, and I am very excited not only to see my sister and have her spend time with G3, but to do "Christmassy" stuff with her like make food and, well, haven't thought beyond that! My parents will be up Christmas morning, and my hope is that we can start a new tradition that will be more or less centered around G3, but one nonetheless where we can still have that time as the family we have always been, and the family we have become with the additions of Gabe, Shawn, and G3.
Getting the tree ready...
And of course, after years and years of Christmas not really involving Santa beyond decorating a Santa cookie or hanging a reindeer ornament, the old guy is back in show. G3 doesn't really understand, but he does know who Santa is and that he brings "presents". Its going to be so much fun to relive the magic again, and it's already begun with his school taking a trip to the post office to mail their letters to Santa.
And so, life moves on and just as the days of celebrating Christmas at Grandma and Grandad's with Becky, Katie, Donna and Corey have come to be something of the past, so must Christmas morning at Pinto-Bay. But I'm still embracing the season and looking forward to celebrating in my own home with all of the people who are dearest to me right there.
Merry Christmas!
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