Before I get started, please note that I know I am totally copying Jon's Christmas blog entry - even some of the points - but only because we're family and I didot him on many on the list. We grew up in the same house...c'mon.
So, my favorite things about Christmas:
- RELAXATION - no setting the alarm for work the next day. We're all home and we are extremely chill and relaxed. We wake up late, have crepes (which only Dad knows how to make) and coffee in our pj's, while listening to one of Mom's Christmas CD's LOUD in the family room. Almost always, someone has to make a trip to the mall to buy something last minute... or to the shop to finish "tweaking" their special project for Mom.
- Mmmmm...eggnog....
- Christmas music - love it. LOVE it!! You can scoff if you wish but I really cherrish old CD's like Evie's Christmas and Kenny Rogers & Dolly Parton Christmas. They never get old to me. They just feel like home.
- Finding the perfect gift for someone...and knowing that they're gonna love it....and then watching their eyes light up when they open it.
- The song, I Want a Hippopotomous for Christmas.
- The tree - when it's all lit up and glowing in a darkened family room, close to the fireplace. Beautiful.
- Oh, the Christmas chain. A Bartel family tradition.
- Mom's huge stash of peanuts, nuts, Quality Street chocolates and Jelly Bellies on the coffee table. No one really knows how to stop eating them...
- Dad obsessing over his esspresso and forcing a cup into every empty hand, convinced there's nothing quite like it.
- The bright pots of poinsettias Mom has strategically placed in every nook and cranny around the house. Oh...and the Dickens Christmas village above the living room fireplace - it gets bigger every year, with tradition. I love coming home to a decked-out house.
- The famous claymation Rudolph Christmas special on TV - with the abominable snowman and Yukon Cornelious... every year.
- Wrapping presents.
- Dad leading Christmas carols at church on Christmas morning...every single year for as long as I can remember.
- Knowing that every year, Mom will get up at 5:00am, Dad will act like Scrooge, we'll all jump on him to get him out of bed - it's such an act and it's the same every year, but it's somehow funny every time... that there's one gift that will make Mom cry every year... that Dad will always genuinely love it from the bottom of his heart if you get him a) needle nose plyers, b) a flashlight, or c) a shammee
- Wondering when it happend that Christmas shifted from you and your siblings opening gifts to watching Mikayla and Brookie opening gifts...and being more than okay with it.
...And it all just gets better with age. I am such a sucker for this season and all of the tradiations and memories it includes. And to think I get to go home in a few short weeks to enjoy it all over again...*
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4 comments:
yes, evie's christmas!!!
"christmas (christmas!) christmas (christmas!)... a happy time each year! singing (la-la!), laughing (hahaha), the air is filled with cheer...."
hey dude. the one about dad making espresso is amazing. had me laughing. 'ooo...ya, but you want an esspresso???? it's the real thing you know!'
to which everyone i've ever met just goes, 'meh..i kindof just like coffee..'
and i know that it breaks his heart a little bit inside every time. :)
see you so soon!
jon (reads this every day)
i came across your new blog. I'm glad you get to go home for Christmas. Enjoy! So you are making Saskatoon home? it was nice seeing you at Sandi's wedding.
I love how much you love Christmas. It is so neat to hear about different family traditions.
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