"Oh, Christmas isn't just a day, it's a frame of mind...." --Kris Kringle from Miracle on 34th Street
This time of year is when people spend most of their time indoors; the weather doesn't permit being outside for long periods of time. Instead of being absorbed with our latest technology, or doing our own thing, my family spends this time with one another; we turn on our Christmas music playlist (we have people like Dean Martin, Elvis Presley, and Ray Charles. Because there is something so attractive about a man that can sing!), sit around the kitchen table playing cards or board games, we have some sort of dessert baking, and there is a fire crackling in the next room. The Christmas tree is lit, and even if there are no presents underneath it, just seeing all the homemade ornaments and memories brings a smile to my face.
Going out shopping has never enthused me, but deciding what to buy for a friend that will make her face light up is what makes trudging out in the cold worth it. Taking the time to match the personality of the recipient to that of the gift I give makes them feel special, and in return I feel good about making them feel special.
Another appealing part of going out shopping is that it gets dark relatively early; this means that by the time I've finished making the rounds and am heading home, houses are all lit up with their Christmas decorations and twinkle lights. I can barely describe the joy it brings me to drive down what would normally be a dark highway and have it glow with warm and inviting decorations.
This time of year, people send out Holiday Cards to let you know that they've been thinking of you throughout the year. Even during their hectic life, they thought of you and smiled, and sent you a holiday card to let you know how important you are to them. Having the top of my piano covered with all of these individual "I love you" notes is truly a sight that reminds me that there are lots of good people in the world.
Christmas Eve is when all of the family is home; the music is louder, there are more cookies set out (and then immediately eaten!), we play games (like Aggravation, Euchre, and Taboo), we make Christmas movie references (like, "You'll shoot your eye out, kid!" or when grabbing ANOTHER cookie, "We elves try to stick to the four major food groups: candy, candy canes, candy corn, and syrup!"), and we are laughing so hard that our faces hurt. We sincerely enjoy spending so much time together that we stay up until well after midnight, yet even when we are in bed we cannot fall asleep. My sister and I used to spend hours talking in bed because we were too excited to sleep on Christmas Eve. We would sneak out of our room to see if Santa had come for a visit yet; we would run down to the kitchen to get Fruit Loops cereal because we'd stayed up so long that we were hungry again, and we crept into our little brother's room to see if he was up: if he was, then we took him back to our room to share in the excitement; if he wasn't up then we woke him up until he was so wound up about Christmas that he couldn't sleep, and would therefore join us in our room.
When it was finally late enough to be considered polite to wake up the rest of the family (usually no later than 7:30am) we all gather around the Christmas tree. Bright-eyed and smiling even though exhausted, we couldn't wait to see what was wrapped for us under the tree as well as the look on the other people's faces from the gifts they received. We start of trying to have only one person opening one present at a time, and then another person opening one, like a Round-Robin game. But eventually we get caught up in the hustle and bustle of it all, and wrapping paper is flying, people are shouting "Thank You!" to the gift giver, pictures are being taken, but no one knows where the camera is or who to look at. We finally conclude opening the presents and just sit and bask in our haul; we admire our new gadgets, try on the sweaters that we now have, and figure out the rules to the new game that we will be playing later in the day. We have a big breakfast with all the fixings, and continue to explore our presents. We call family members who couldn't be with us, and wish them a Merry Christmas. We might catch a quick nap mid-morning, but only in an attempt to revive us so that we may play all of the new games throughout the day. We take turns playing each person's new game, we play cards, we listen to Christmas music, and we snack the entire day. But my favorite part of all of this is listening to the choir of laughter: whether it's because my sister can't remember which Jack is boss in this hand of Euchre, because my Mama just made some outrageously hilarious comment, or because my brother looked just like my dad when making that face, I absolutely love hearing people laugh. Laughing together. Sharing these experiences with the people you love most and being able to enjoy them together. That's what I love about Christmas.
The last few years our Christmas traditions have changed a little. One year, after opening presents at home, I went to my then-boyfriend's house to have Christmas with his family; I felt uncomfortable and left-out at least 85% of the time. I kept thinking that I just wanted to go home and be with my little family. That was not a good Christmas day for me.
But more recently, my brother and sister have been the ones to change Christmas. My brother has been with his girlfriend for nearly two years now, and they are so cute together! However, this means that he is spending part of his holiday season with her family. Of course, we get custody of both of them at some point, also, but there is also that time where I don't get to see either of them. And I miss my little brother.
My sister has been dating her boyfriend for nearly two years as well. Once again, this means sharing the holidays with his family instead of being with us the entire time. And I miss my big sister.
Naturally, it is more fun (for me at least) when my sister brings Boyfriend home with her, and when my brother brings Girlfriend home with him, but I know that "Spending time with the In-Laws" is part of their lives now. They are able to experience more Christmas with more people; they are adding to the list of people who they care for and want to spend time with. Good for them.
But more recently, my brother and sister have been the ones to change Christmas. My brother has been with his girlfriend for nearly two years now, and they are so cute together! However, this means that he is spending part of his holiday season with her family. Of course, we get custody of both of them at some point, also, but there is also that time where I don't get to see either of them. And I miss my little brother.
My sister has been dating her boyfriend for nearly two years as well. Once again, this means sharing the holidays with his family instead of being with us the entire time. And I miss my big sister.
Naturally, it is more fun (for me at least) when my sister brings Boyfriend home with her, and when my brother brings Girlfriend home with him, but I know that "Spending time with the In-Laws" is part of their lives now. They are able to experience more Christmas with more people; they are adding to the list of people who they care for and want to spend time with. Good for them.
Since my brother and Girlfriend have been dating so long, our entire family has become close friends with her family. We go on family outings togeher, we have each other over for game nights, and we just generally get along. There are always LOTS of laughs when we are all in one place. This year, my family is going to her family's house for Christmas Eve to watch the kids open their presents and hang out. Spending time with family and friends (old or new) and genuinely enjoying their company is part of what makes Christmas so special.
So I know that our Christmas traditions are a little nontraditional, but they are always entertaining. We do our best to give nice presents, but are more than happy to just sit around the Christmas tree talking with one another. Our house isn't spick and span clean for the holidays like the pictures in magazines, but it's lived in: it's full of love and laughter and cookies. So, what do you think? How does my celebration compare to yours? What is your favorite part about Christmas? Let me know what you think!
Merry Christmas!
