Grasping for the Wind

It Just Isn't the Same

The wife and I celebrated our mutual Christmas last night. We are leaving today to go to Florida to celebrate Christmas with her family and then return on the 26th to have Christmas with mine. I’ve always thought it rather fun to have several Christmases. This is the first year in my 26 that I will not have Christmas with my family.

My three younger brothers weren’t willing to wait one day and celebrate when the wife and I got home. Seems a little selfish to me, but then, I was the one who went off and got married and have additional responsibilities to other people, so I’m not actually upset with them. It’s ultimately my fault, but I would say I go the better end of the deal. I have Val, and her great family (including the extended family, it’s a real close-knit group).

I’ll be real sorry to miss Christmas with my folks, it just won’t be the same without Mom’s egg casserole and taking turns opening the mound of presents my parents always get us. I won’t get that flighty feeling of excitement as I go to bed. I won’t wake up and rush down the stairs (although in the past few years I shower first) in my pj’s and act like a little kid again. I won’t get to hear my father read the Nativity story from Luke (my most treasured tradition). I think I’ll try and institute that with Val’s folks this year; I want my kids to get that tradition. After that, we opened up everybody’s presents, taking turns so that everyone see what everyone gets, and everyone oohs and aahs over the gifts people got. It’s almost as exciting to watch others open gifts as to open your own.

I’ll miss it, but next year we have Christmas with my folks and then go visit hers, so we made an even trade. I'm sad, but I do get three Christmases, so I can't really complain.

Posted by John on December 22, 2006 10:10 AM | Posted to Personal Journal
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