Tuesday, November 24, 2009

It's almost time



My favorite holiday is almost upon us and I don't mean Thanksgiving (with a working single mom we just had mac n' cheese for Turkey Day more than once anyway). But Christmas is another matter all together. It's about family and being together. It's about those very pretty lights and childhood memories that warm me up on a cold gray day. About that incredibly annoying chirping bird Christmas ornament that we all love to hate and the bubble lights that I could watch for hours. And all of those great Christmas traditions that I need to pass on to my own kids.

For years mom made Lee and I a doll each Christmas (the clowns above and the pink and blue dolls below) and I think I'd like to find a pattern for Erin this year. Instead of putting names on individual stockings my parents put everyone's presents in one giant stocking and then a scrap of paper taped to the mantel with names on the style of paper that was ours. We then dumped it all out together and started digging into the pile for the matching paper that wrapped up gum, jacks, and silly putty.

Now as an adult I'm wondering what happened. Christmas was magic and memories and now it's scheduling and negotiating. I am probably going to have 4 different Christmas gatherings with family this year (at home with the kids, with mom, with dad, and with E's family) and it makes me a little sad. I want my kids to have the magic that is Christmas and Christmaspalooza just feels lacking in the spirit of it somehow, never mind that part of it may not happen until February between one parent's trip and another's surgery. Is it still Christmas if it happens in Feb. because it doesn't feel like it...



I don't know. Maybe once I get the tree up on Friday I will be able to find the Christmas spirit in all of it because I want my magic back.



And these happy little faces are going to get their magic and tradition because childhood has no do-overs.

3 comments:

  1. I absolutely love the time between Halloween and New Years Day because I remember the magic. I want my kids to feel it too, but I'm not sure they do. I try tho, and even when I'm not "feeling it" it try harder to feel it, or at least "express it" so that my kids will get "in the spirit" themselves...
    All we can do is spread some kindness and hope it wears off...

    ReplyDelete
  2. I think that no matter what happens your kids are going to feel the magic. As adults we tend to get bogged down with all the scheduling and planning. Kids are oblivious to all of that stuff and only see the fun.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hey Sara! Its Samantha from SimplySam. I discontinued that blog, but started back as The Pridgen Family. I am so glad that I remembered your web address so I could start following you again. I love reading what you have to say!!

    ReplyDelete

I love comments. It's nice to know someone is reading and I appreciate and read every one.