The Holiday Season Is Fast Approaching

I love Christmas and all the fond memories that come with it.  I am going to spend time on my next few blogs talking about this, so bare with me.

As a kid at Christmas, I loved everything that went with it.  At that time, I'm sure it was getting presents that I loved, but now that I am older, that part doesn't matter.  It's the time and memories with family I recall.

For my first 12 years, every Christmas, with the exception of 1, was spent in Peterborough at my Gramma and Grampa's.  I could hardly sleep each Christmas eve with the excitment of Santa arriving.  My aunt and I would huddle by the radio to hear where Santa was and when he got close to our area, we would run to bed. 

One of my favorite memories is from when I was probably about 4.  I got up, feeling like I had been in bed for HOURS, and snuck out to the living room.  Well, what do you know...Santa had been!  AND....mom and Gramma were sitting at the kitchen table, talking and smoking.  They were shocked to see me!

"Hey, Santa's already been here and you guys didn't see him?!?!  You were sitting in the kitchen and didn't see him?!?!"

They were positive that they didn't, which I just couldn't believe, mostly because the kitchen table was right in front of the archway for the living room and my presents were in the chair directly across from it.  But who am I to question the magic of Santa.  I didn't go back to bed after that.  What a long night.

But I remember the excitement...the shaking, teeth chattering cold that came with the excitement, and honestly, I still felt like that as a teenager and now that I have my own children, I get the same sensation with the idea of Santa visiting them and watching their enjoyment.

I am such a sucker for the old days and wish nothing ever had to change.  I miss the entire family getting together with the feeling of love and Christmas.  Well, now the family is getting bigger and bigger, people have jobs that require them to work over the holidays.  And it's harder to get together. 

We hosted Christmas in our new house last year, and we decided to have our gathering about a week before Christmas, on the 19th, to accomodate people who had to work or had plans on Boxing Day.  For me, it was about the family getting together to celebrate.  But as with any large family, the idea of family was lost on a couple people.  It was disappointing to hear it and the slight complaints, but I didn't let it damper the day.  For  me, I knew what was the most important.   I know the dynamics of Christmas has changed since my Gramma's passing in 2003 and I do worry that come the day my Grammpa passes, it will stop altogether.  I will do my best to not let that happen, but sometimes, when the glue fails.....

Here is to tradition and family!