Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Christmas Time is Here

Well the Christmas season has started, for me at least, as I just got done watching Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer from 1964. I love the simplicity of the characters the stop motion and mostly the memories they bring back to me. Memories of my grandmother making cookies (the BEST) and popcorn balls, my grandfather shopping and telling of bluppuses his word for presents, which we still use today. The tree decorated with a combination of homemade and store bought decorations. One of my favorite decorations was made by a good friend and it is nothing more than 2 pipe cleaners with a egg carton cup glued to the top to make a simple sleigh. It will sit in a place of honor on the tree as it has for almost 40 years.

What I don't remember, or perhaps choose not to, is the shoving and bickering I hear in the stores now, I don't remember Christmas starting as soon as the back to schools items had been cleared away to the school supply isle in September.

I remember the Thanksgiving Holiday as the "official" start of the Christmas season, and the 1st carol of the year. One of my favorite memories is Santa riding a Norelco razor over the snow covered hills as Charlie Brown and Linus got a pathetic tree year after year. How the Grinch never remembers how the Who's effect him or how Rudolph learns that to be different is ok and sometimes a good thing.

I think back then Christmas break was months long, at least in my mind, and my friends and I played in the snow and went sledding down Marigold street. My memories of Christmas are good and clean and great to look back on, I miss those uncomplicated days.

Christmas 2010 will be a good one, Jordan and Cassie with be with the family on Christmas morning. One home from boot camp and the other from collage, Tamara will be here, as will my mom, aunt, cousins, grandmother and of course Christina.

They say with passing years things are supposed to get easier, my grandfather passed away in Dec. 2002 right before Christmas and I still feel the loss every bit as much as the night he passed away. I see things and want to tell him about them or think that would be a great Grandpa Ed present.

Christmas is a time for family, friends, parties and giving, but for me it is also a bit melancholy. A time of introspection and some sadness, I hope this year to find the joy earlier by watching the old TV specials and remembering all I have to be thankful for.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I'm thankful for you! You started my Christmas off right by making sure I got special time with my Grandfather. Thanks hubby. ;-)