Christmas Day is over. We, Americans, have been preparing for this one day since October, all for it to be over in one day and sometimes in less than a half hour. Don't worry your pretty little face, though, because the next 2 weeks marks what I like to call "Post Christmas Bliss" which consists of the inevitable weekends of family parties. These extravaganzas are due in large part to divorced families, travel arrangements, or other circumstances and have made the Holiday season drag on just a little longer which, in my opinion, makes maxing out my Mastercard just a little more justified. Just a little.
Tonight, I find myself thinking back to a time where Christmas was more exciting. Come on, I know you all have that feeling where you think to when you were little, when Santa was real, and falling asleep was a delight on the 24th. I, personally, have a lot of great memories from my Christmas past which is due in large part to my Mom's over-the-top Christmas Spirit.
Around the Thanksgiving time, my Dad would drag the decorations out of the garage and painstakingly check each bulb for proper wattage. I'll take this moment to say that if my Mom wasn't so genuinely excited about the lights, my Dad would NEVER even put a single bulb up. Anyone who has ever driven down Maple Ridge Road during the month of December can attest to the enormity of our decorations. With the exception to this year (house remodeling), we have had upwards of 25 light-up reindeer piercing the eyes of motorists in our front yard. The layout is simple: Santa and his sleigh being the focal point of the lawn with his 9 reindeer towing, and the other 16 reindeer were "in training" for future voyages.
On Christmas Eve, my Mom's side of the family would come over to play games, eat food, and "enjoy" each others company. At the conclusion of the night, we could all open one gift from the Grandparents which, for my brother and I, consisted of the second half of our birthday gift (both December babies). Once they all left, my sister and I would go to sleep and my brother would go back to Albion where his Mom lived.
The morning is where the magic was, my friends. I know the next few lines are going to leave you saying, "seriously, Dave? You didn't pick up on this after 6+ years?" but I am going to risk the laughs and tell it anyway. My Dad, being a police officer, naturally has access to handcuffs. For most of my early childhood, I would wake up to find one handcuff securely fastened to a chair or something, and the other open, laying on the floor. Year, after year, my Dad would look at it in disgust and say, "Ugh, he got out again. I thought this was the year." It got to the point where, on Christmas Eve, I would watch dad lay out his pepper-spray, handcuffs, and badge to prepare for his hostile take down. Sure, now it seems kind-of selfish that I wanted my beloved Santa to be captured, but come on, what kid doesn't want to see Santa at his doorway? Exactly.
This year, Christmas was still exciting, though. As I have gotten older, spending time with my family has been the best part of the Holidays. In fact, this year my parents made an addition onto our house and my Grandma has her own mini-apartment right in our house. My Mom had a great idea to surprise her on Christmas morning. We decided to make her a stocking and stuff it with sugar free candy and other goodies to make her smile. The plan was to wait until midnight, sneak into her side of the house, and leave her stocking-complete with a letter from Santa-on her table so she would see it in the morning. At midnight on the dot, Mom came down to my cave of a room and told me it was time to initiate "Operation Christmas Cheer." I did a quick cough outside of the door to make sure I didn't have a coughing fit before entering, and slowly opened the sliding wooden door that led to her side. With stealth comparable to the Army Special Forces, I entered the dark abyss and felt around for her table. This mission didn't come without complications, though; I ran into her dining room chair and made a loud noise. Of course, I laughed and made it worse, but Grandma sleeps in a mini coma, so I knew it would still be a successful militaristic mission. Sure enough, in the morning, her cute voice rattled through our house. "Santa came," she said with a childish gleam. "The note says I made the nice list!"
Family is what it's all about.
I sincerely hope that you had a great Holiday Season. I am proud to say I have friends who celebrate Hanukkah, Christmas, and Kwanzaa, and I hope, regardless of your religion, that you have enjoyed time with your family and loved ones. Just remember to keep them close because you never know what may happen down the road. Make memorable experiences now, so you can smile and laugh about them later.
Goodnight Readers,
