As Christmas Day was fast approaching this week, I seemed to come down with a case of 'scrooge'. I love the spirit of the holiday season ... but I resent the expectations (commercial and otherwise) of the 'day' itself. I was getting down right cranky.
As this evening (Christmas Eve) was unfolding, I started doing normal, everyday things. I had some bookwork to work on and that took care of some time. I was starting to feel exhausted and I could have went to bed shortly after 7:00 ... but Dale and his girlfriend came over.
We had the most comfortable, easy visit. We shared stories, reminisced a bit, we laughed ... it was simply enjoyable. We all sat in the living room and conversation was light and easy.
We don't have many Christmas traditions or expectations in our little family. I've always downplayed the Christmas festivities - partially because of the high expectations/let down feeling that I had as a child (I thought if my kids learned not to expect much, they wouldn't be disappointed??). Partially because of my financial situation. Partially because we weren't the 'normal', 2 parent family unit. I've had many excuses over the years, but the theme has always been a very low key Christmas.
Dale and I even joked about it tonight. He blames me for the way he is (he threatened to make his girlfriend wait until New Years to open her gifts), but it was all in good fun. Dale has probably carried the spirit of Christmas within him more than any of us. He has managed to keep his expectations relatively low key for most of his life. I found the Christmas list he wrote for me from 1996 (he was 9 yrs old at the time):
As this evening (Christmas Eve) was unfolding, I started doing normal, everyday things. I had some bookwork to work on and that took care of some time. I was starting to feel exhausted and I could have went to bed shortly after 7:00 ... but Dale and his girlfriend came over.
We had the most comfortable, easy visit. We shared stories, reminisced a bit, we laughed ... it was simply enjoyable. We all sat in the living room and conversation was light and easy.
We don't have many Christmas traditions or expectations in our little family. I've always downplayed the Christmas festivities - partially because of the high expectations/let down feeling that I had as a child (I thought if my kids learned not to expect much, they wouldn't be disappointed??). Partially because of my financial situation. Partially because we weren't the 'normal', 2 parent family unit. I've had many excuses over the years, but the theme has always been a very low key Christmas.
Dale and I even joked about it tonight. He blames me for the way he is (he threatened to make his girlfriend wait until New Years to open her gifts), but it was all in good fun. Dale has probably carried the spirit of Christmas within him more than any of us. He has managed to keep his expectations relatively low key for most of his life. I found the Christmas list he wrote for me from 1996 (he was 9 yrs old at the time):
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