"It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas"
And I'm prettttttty happy about it. I usually have a pretty strong policy on nothing Christmas until after Thanksgiving. I've gotten Christmas burn out so many times, it really is a thing for me. But, 2020. Even I, the sometimes Scrooge, was ready in early November. I ordered our TWO Christmas trees for work on November 1st. Not long after that, I had to pop into Michael's for some paint, and it was game over for me. Christmas stuff EVERYWHERE, one of my favorite Christmas songs was playing ("This Christmas"). I was walking down the aisles singing, throwing stuff in my cart, and damn-near crying at how freaking happy I felt. I knew then that this tough guy would be celebrating early this year. And I think we should. We ( I ) have so much to be thankful for on a daily basis, but that doesn't mean the daily frustrations of trying to run 2 businesses during this pandemic with an idiot calling the shots, doesn't bring down the morale more often than I would care to share. So bring on Bing Crosby.
SO, with all of that being said, I am enjoying shooting families for their Christmas cards, having hot cocoa, Christmas songs, and celebrating being DONE with Christmas shopping, that I thought a story time about my family's traditions would be fun!
When I was a kid, Christmas was so magical. I was the baby, so we all know what that means. Just ask my siblings! Christmas Eve, everyone would go to my Grandma's house for a huge meal, with a whole lot of people. Our family, extended family, and friends always joined. I don't recall ever even eating at table because there were so many people, there wasn't room for tables! So our laps worked just fine! As kids, it was so hard to wait for everyone else to finish eating, because presents would come after! I'm certain that yearly I was yelled at for not being patient and letting people finish eating without being annoying. And more often than not, late people (cough, cough, my own brothers) would show up late, and the waiting would start all over again. Then the time came to open and it was G L O R I O U S. We'd play with our new toys until it was time to go home, and we'd wish each other good luck on the next morning. lol
Christmas Day had even more pent up excitement, am I right? It was like doing inventory on what Santa did or did not bring. lol. I just remember it being a day of straight playing. I'm sure there were meals in there somewhere, but it was just about the new stuff! Oh! and stocking stuffers! Santa killed it for me. Anyone else just think the little Barbie kleenex was just adorable. I loved it. lol. More people came over and it was just a day of hanging out.
I was a super blessed kid. Yes spoiled, but there were always so many friends and family around, with so much love, people with such giving hearts and a whole lot of happiness.
While our holidays look a bit different these day, and even more with Rona still hanging out, they are just as special as ever. As an adult, it's so fun to watch the littles get excited about presents just like I did, but to also bridge that with the celebration of the birth of Jesus. Just a special, magical time that I truly (now more than ever) look forward to.
Merry Christmas fam!
