My childhood Christmas mornings were always just the three of us — Mom, Daddy, and me. For the first time in quite a few years, we got to be just the three of us again on Christmas morning. It felt really good to relive those childhood memories of opening gifts with my parents before the rest of the family arrived.
Dad, as you can see in the picture, was apparently a very good boy this year. Santa brought him one heck of a haul! Lots of clothes, a wood chisel set, and an electronic golf score keeper were a few of his gifts. I knitted him a new hat too.
Dad and I went out on Wednesday afternoon to go gift shopping for my mom. (‘Cause like most men, he’s a last-minute shopper!) We had a good time picking out things off her wishlist, and by the looks of that smile, I think she was happy with what we picked out too!
My grandparents came over later in the day. That’s my Grandma Rita in the photo. I know my old friends who read this blog will probably hardly recognize her. Emphysema has really taken it’s toll, especially in the past year. But she’s an extremely tough woman and she’s doing her best to not let it slow her down. Spending Christmas with her was the single most important thing to me this year, and I’m glad I was able to do so.
Of course, who can forget Kodi-dogger? He loves Christmas. For the several days leading up to the holiday, he spent every night laying under the Christmas tree, waiting expectantly. Mom said he’d done that ever since she put the tree up. It’s as if he knows that Christmas tree = new dog toys. He was actually the first family member on Christmas morning to get to rip into his packages. He loves opening gifts and he got lots of toys and treats. When his toys were all opened, he “helped” the rest of us rip paper of our packages too. I don’t think I’ve ever met a dog that enjoyed Christmas quite as much as he does.
Late on Christmas day, my friends descended on the house and round 3 of gift-opening was under way, musical instruments were busted out, and much silliness and laughter ensued…
Excuse the crappy photos from my cell phone. By this point in the evening I’d gotten too lazy to mess with a “real” camera. Also probably too drunk, thanks to the lovely homemade wine Alan and Erica brought with them! (Heh.)
I’m so grateful to have ended 2009 on such a high note, spending time with so many loved ones. Hopefully this is a preview of good things to come in 2010!
Just some snapshots from the last few days back home. Click for descriptions/larger images.
In the last several years, it seems like I’ve seen more and more debate on whether to tell children the “truth” about Santa Claus.
Some parents argue that they don’t want to lie to their kids from the very beginning and simply don’t perpetuate the Santa-myth.
While I understand that sentiment, it just seems to me that children grow up far too quickly these days anyway, and it breaks my heart to take some of the precious magic of childhood away from them.
As a child, I always wanted to believe.
I remember when I started to become skeptical, my mother simply pointed me to a copy of Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus for the answer…
We take pleasure in answering thus prominently the communication below, expressing at the same time our great gratification that its faithful author is numbered among the friends of The Sun:
Dear Editor—
I am 8 years old. Some of my little friends say there is no Santa Claus. Papa says, “If you see it in The Sun, it’s so.” Please tell me the truth, is there a Santa Claus?
Virginia O’Hanlon
Virginia, your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age. They do not believe except they see. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by their little minds. All minds, Virginia, whether they be men’s or children’s, are little. In this great universe of ours, man is a mere insect, an ant, in his intellect as compared with the boundless world about him, as measured by the intelligence capable of grasping the whole of truth and knowledge.
Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! how dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus! It would be as dreary as if there were no Virginias. There would be no childlike faith then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existence. We should have no enjoyment, except in sense and sight. The eternal light with which childhood fills the world would be extinguished.
Not believe in Santa Claus! You might as well not believe in fairies. You might get your papa to hire men to watch in all the chimneys on Christmas eve to catch Santa Claus, but even if you did not see Santa Claus coming down, what would that prove? Nobody sees Santa Claus, but that is no sign that there is no Santa Claus. The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor men can see. Did you ever see fairies dancing on the lawn? Of course not, but that’s no proof that they are not there. Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders there are unseen and unseeable in the world.
You tear apart the baby’s rattle and see what makes the noise inside, but there is a veil covering the unseen world which not the strongest man, nor even the united strength of all the strongest men that ever lived could tear apart. Only faith, poetry, love, romance, can push aside that curtain and view and picture the supernal beauty and glory beyond. Is it all real? Ah, Virginia, in all this world there is nothing else real and abiding.
No Santa Claus! Thank God! he lives and lives forever. A thousand years from now, Virginia, nay 10 times 10,000 years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood.
To this day, that article makes me smile and reignites the magic of this season for me.
Merry Christmas, everyone.
Like many weekends, I got my sleep-schedule completely turned around and I was up till 3 a.m. last night. Needless to say, my brain isn’t quite working at full-capacity yet. So today’s update will be bullet-points…
I’m going home in five days. FIVE DAYS, ya’ll!- Did I mention that I’m driving home to Erie, Pennsylvania — otherwise known as the icy tundra? The land of LAKE EFFECT snow! Oh what fun. (That photo was taken looking off my mom’s back porch on 12/11.)
- I haven’t driven in snow since 2006. This could be interesting.
- I’m not looking forward to 11-hours of driving…
- But it’s worth it. I get to see my family and several old friends who are coming home for the holidays as well. Yay!
- I have a lot to do in the meantime. Car needs an oil change and to be cleaned out, I need to pack, etc. etc.
- My Christmas shopping is DONE. How’s yours coming along?
- My Christmas knitting, however, is still in-process. As usual, I bit off a bit too much. (But it wouldn’t be ME and wouldn’t be Christmas if I didn’t!)
Annnnd… now I shall return to caffeinateing my system. (Thank goodness for Starbucks!) Happy Monday!
