SHooser1 (Sheila) wrote on the J-land Bar and Grill message board: When do you celebrate Christmas? I apologise to those of you not on AOL, that is an AOL only link.
When I was a child, we always celebrated on Christmas morning. We'd get up and go down to the living room to see what Santa had left under the tree for us. In our household, Santa didn't wrap gifts, so there was one gift per child already open, set-up, ready to play with on Christmas morning. I think that was my parents' sleep-in strategy. They generally needed to sleep in because Christmas Eve every year we went to a Christmas party at the home of long time family friends.
I attended that party every year until my mid twenties when I started getting serious with the woman who is now my wife. Her family is from Italy, and they traditionally celebrated on Christmas Eve, so my personal traditions had to change. It has worked out really well. I remember when I was a child, the political discussions that took place every year revolving around which set of Grandparents we would be visiting when. Both my Father and my Mother's parents wanted to entertain us for Christmas dinner, but only one of them could 'win.' Sometimes there were fireworks. Because of the difference in personal traditions between my family and my wife's family, we never had to worry about those kinds of arguments. It all fell out naturally and everyone was happy. Except that every year I would feel a twinge of regret that I could no longer attend the festivities with my parents on Christmas Eve.
This year, for the first time in about fifteen years, my parents-in-law will be out of the country for Christmas. They have a relative visiting from Italy, and they have taken him to their Florida condo for several weeks. They'll be back for New Year's Eve, but my wife and I will be left to our own devices for Christmas Eve. I have been avidly looking forward to the opportunity to spend Christmas Eve with my parents and the family friends for the first time in over a decade, and I told my Mother so.
"Oh," she said. "Well... I haven't spoken to Joanne (her friend) for several months. I don't know if they are even hosting that party this year."
pause...
extended pause...
continued uncomfortable extended pause...
"I'll find out and let you know then, shall I?"
"Thanks, Mom."
So I don't know exactly when I'm celebrating Christmas this year.
7 comments:
@_@
.....
@_@
http://journals.aol.com/lovelybludiamond/ACaliChick4life/
Lovely
I am somewhat confounded by the complete lack of words in the previous comment.
-Paul
Well, Paul, I'm sorry that your holiday plans are up in the air. I hope that your mom will be able to get back with you soon on an answer. I probably won't see my family for Christmas, given that the weather is too unpredictable this time of year for travel. Despite growing up in the Detroit area, I hate driving in snow. Regardless, I have my husband and his family to share the holiday with and that isn't too bad as long as my father in law can find another channel besides ESPN!!! Happy early Christmas!!! Sheila
lol
this, @_@, means I'm rolling my eyes at you. Get a clue.
I tried celebrating Christmas on Christmas eve a few times..........yeah, that just kinda sucks. L.
Hmmmm...
Similar to the trials and tribulations of sharing Christmas between divorced parents. I can empathise.
Simon
http://simianfarmer.blogs.com
Paul, I can understand your feelings, it's always disconcerting when there is change and things are up in the air <I personally hate this> maybe celebrating Christmas eve with your parents & yourselves might be something to consider. Oh, didn't someone's mother every tell them their eyes might get stuck looking like that if they keep rolling them? That would be amusing <g> ~MA~
Post a Comment