Holidays are a whole lotta work. As a child, I had to wait. Just wait. Christmas came very slowly. On Christmas Eve, as a child, the waiting often felt like work. Sleep was impossible. As a child, no night lasts longer than Christmas Eve. As an adult, no month goes faster than December. The Thanksgiving leftovers are barely gone and it already feels like I am behind on my task list for Christmas. Every year I say I am going to scale back and every year I don't. Gifts are the fun part. I like the decorations once they are up but I must admit I lacked the enthusiasm in hauling them out this year. Do we really need to decorate as thoroughly as we do? As we are pulling out decorations, the kids are very excited. The are looking for their favorite decorations. When did this happen? When did their awareness creep beyond their Christmas list? They are searching for the advent calendar that their great aunt fills with candy and money every year. Of course, they are motivated by candy and money. The excitement moves to the village that they are incessant about getting out, the handmade trinkets crafted over the years, their stockings, baking and the photos with Santa framed and reflective of the development of our family. The photos span Kennedy's glory days as an only child. In one picture she has pink eye. We almost didn't get her picture made due to the goopy eye. The pink eye picture is the picture she always grabs and likes to glorify her devotion to Santa...not even pink eye could keep her away. Ben shows up in the pictures... but not until age three. True to form, he screamed and threw fits when attempts were made for him to sit on Santa's lap and take a picture. It was his own, personal baby hell. Finally, pictures of the four kids. The pictures look as complete as our family feels. The Santa pictures will continue. Add to the holiday preparation list.
The kids bury their heads in the tub of ornaments. Looking for their individual, annual ornament. The ornaments span across time and various interests. Thomas trains give way to superheros. Superheros give way to sports. Dora to barbies to peace signs. They are giddy with remembering ornaments. Add ornament shopping to the list.
The kids have been chatty with various "tradishuns" as Kennedy wrote in a third grade project. They are looking forward to new Christmas Eve pajamas, decorating cookies and even requesting to listen to the Christmas music on 106.9. They actually requested a station that does not play Justin Bieber, Taylor Swift or Katy Perry. Now that is a Christmas miracle.
Although my list is long and my December months will never be just waiting again, there is no greater joy than building a childhood for our kids they will cherish and carry with them as their Decembers shift from waiting to preparing.
The holidays serve as mile markers for families. The first with a baby. The last with a loved one. They mark time and allow us to reflect on where we have been and where we are going. The holiday memories and traditions tend to speak louder than other memories. During a summer month, my mom/the kid's Nana, was have a cookout. Kennedy inquired if it was a holiday because Nana was cooking. The holidays bring out the best in us whether it is noncooks cooking, increased giving or the craftless attempting crafting. As a parent there is more work. So very much to do. As a parent, I want each Christmas to be the best ever. Traditions from childhood are carried over with my children. Traditions Lori and I create are unique for our family. Waiting children give way to busy parents. Years give way to birth and death and marriage and divorce and moves and hair styles. Thank God 80s hair gives way to anything. Pictures show the changes time creates. Traditions remain the same. So we will buy ornaments and Christmas pj's and stand in line for that damn two minutes with Santa. We all need to look back and see the familiar. The work required of a parent to give familiar to our children makes the holiday madness, well, tradition.
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