Wednesday, December 06, 2006

Christmas -- two weeks early

On my usual rounds to local police headquarters tonight, I couldn't help but be distracted from armed robberies and stolen credit cards. I was thinking about tomorrow -- the beginning of my family's Christmas.

Some aunts and uncles will be staying at my grandmother's in Doyline for the celebration. Their (adult) kids -- my cousins -- will be with them on Dec. 25 at their houses in Indiana and South Texas, so we're just doing this a little early.

It sort of seemed weird at first. This side of my family normally gathers at Granny's house on Christmas Eve to open a few presents and shoot some fireworks. (That's legal out in the country.) We probably won't have as much of that in the next three or four days.

But that's not really what it's about, is it? We'll still be together. We'll probably make some long-distance phone calls to family members in the Midwest and Pacific Northwest. We'll say some prayers. Eat good food. Look at some twinkling lights. Maybe we'll sing a song or two. Perhaps drink some wassail (and eggnog)?

So who's got thoughts on Christmas tradition -- and breaking it? I'm not sure the specific date is that important. It's a season, right? Besides, do we need to even get started on whether we know what day Jesus Christ was actually born?

I'm just glad it's Advent.

2 comments:

Donecia Pea said...

I'm probably the biggest Scrooge of the bunch because I just don't feel the Christmas hype like most of the general population, I guess. It's all commercialism to me and nothing about the birth of Jesus as it was intended to be.

Lately, I've actually fantasized about going to some foreign corner of the world during the holiday season, just to avoid all the Christmas hype, lol.

On a serious note though, the older I get, I really only look forward to the family togetherness aspect of Christmas because, seriously, you never know if it's the last time or not that you'll have everyone together like that. So I think it's cool that you and yours have that tradition. Reminded me of my own family and our holiday customs and everything.

That's what memories are made of and at the end of the day, that's all you'll really have left when it's all said and done.

Anonymous said...

Fireworks in the country, now that brings back memories! Roman candles and bottle rockets, that's what I got in my stocking when I was a toddler.