Saturday, December 24, 2011

Memories of Christmas

I remember in my early teens helping my Step-Dad put together Santa's Stash for my little brother and sister.  I've put together dolls houses, race car tracks, bikes among the many things they got over the years.

Traditionally the young ones would go to bed, then we would quickly assemble the presents that "Santa" dropped off.  Of course, this is after we were 100 % sure they were asleep.  We used to go to midnight mass as all good Catholics, but since that was the only time we went to church, we stopped that when l was around 14 years of age.  Tradition was, at midnight on Christmas Eve, we would wake up my brother and sister saying, very excitedly, that Santa had come, and to come quick and see what he left.

Wiping the sleep out of their eyes, they would come down and look in wonder at all the stuff.  It was pretty amazing the spread.  Of course, the mandatory pictures would be taken of those first moments, and then as they opened the gifts from family.

Now as an adult, l realize why this was done on Christmas Eve.  There were a couple of reasons. 1. My Opa (Dads, Dad) used to do this with his family, so my Dad passed it down 2. My Dad was like a big kid, and couldn't wait to see the look on our faces.  3. He had had a couple of drinks, and would like to sleep in in the morning. 4. My Mom was always the host of Christmas and would run around like a mad-women in the morning cleaning, prepping food, ordering us to shower and get ready for the company expected at 1pm.

Unfortunately things changed.  We grew up, and everyone knew there wasn't a Santa Clause.   Dad passed on and Mom spends Christmas in Florida.  The glue that kept our family together became unstuck.

5 comments:

  1. How will you spend your Xmas? Maybe birthing a new tradition?

    We are sitting in a crazy east Texas downpour that I don't begrudge them because Whew! what a drought! but it's not snow, and it's not exactly "home," even though we are "home" when we are together. I think I have resisted traditions because I can't always keep them, and I don't want to feel disappointed by my failure.

    Merry Xmas to you!
    Roxanne

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  2. I guess rain is better then the snow in New Mexico. At least a couple of degrees warmer!!!

    I just finished baking cookies,I will be making sandwiches in the morning, then my sister and l, and some of my cousins go down to a homeless shelter in Toronto, with coats, scarfs, new underwear, socks and bagged lunches and hand them out to the men in the shelter, hang around for a chat with them, then we go eat McDonalds for breakfast. Then l will be going to a friends for xmas dinner. Roxanne and Annie, Merry Christmas to you to! Tammy

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  3. I suppose participating in the same family traditions for getting on 50 years now leaves me with a different point of view.

    I'm tired of it. I'd just as soon skip the whole thing and spend Christmas by myself or with friends I want to be with doing something I enjoy doing.

    Not that I don't love my family - I do. But this year was so boring with Dad making a totally lame attempt at playing Santa (to the few Grandchildren that still believe), obligatory gifts that weren't anything special or even wanted all that much, and then "see you tomorrow for Christmas dinner... same place and usual time."

    I don't mean to sound like scrooge. I love celebrations! It's just the sparkle is gone from our traditions (at least for me) and I'm ready for something new. Ah.... maybe next year...

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  4. Okay....we'll meet up somewhere different!!!!

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  5. Heck yeah! And Merry Christmas to you Tammy. Have an awesome day :)

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