These next few days will immediately roll into Christmas past. All of our Christmases become one big memory. Maybe it’s a memory or more like a spirit. Christmas allows us to be sentimental about days long ago.
Christmas evokes grief, it evokes hope, it evokes peace and sometimes pain.
We all have our traditions that come out every year. Maybe it’s great grandpa's tradition or mom’s. The traditions are the glue that keeps Christmas past together.
Maybe listening to your favorite Christmas songs or watching your favorite Christmas movies every December? Maybe having a holiday meal at your favorite restaurant with family? Maybe meeting dear friends for a few pints at the pub? Maybe you just stay home and crawl under gramma’s afghan and sip Bailey’s?
Do you put an angel or a star on your tree?
Do you have a menorah next to your tree?
My dad always wanted to get a Hanukkah bush and celebrate the arrival of Hanukkah Harry and Santa. His combination of the Christian and Jewish traditions.
It’s like this Festivus craze from Seinfeld. I know a couple jokers who have a Festivus pole. One of my friends has his Festivus pole next to his fragile leg lamp in the front window.
These are traditions that will last generations. It may seem silly and fun for us, but a great, great grandchild will someday take pride in the family leg lamp from the turn of the millennium. Something we found as a funny prop will be a grandiose centerpiece in 2079.
Tonight I’ll watch “The Bishop’s Wife” for the second time this year. Tomorrow night I will watch “It’s a Wonderful Life.” Last night we watched “The Family Stone.” Someday the Shepkids will watch these movies with my grandchildren and say how much Grampa Jumbo loved this movie or that Christmas Carol.
At my age I don’t remember Christmas of 1974, but I remember Christmas time from the seventies. Same thing with the eighties. I’m not sure if that was 1983 or 1987, but the memories are stronger as one.
The faces may change with age, the trendy presents will change from cabbage patches to Nintendos, the timely fashions definitely will change from stirrup pants to skinny jeans, but never ditch the ugly sweater.
Dad’s nutcracker collection will be on the mantle. Uncle’s plastic snowman and Santa will be on the front lawn. Little brother’s ornament from third grade will hang on the tree and great grampa’s smoker will still leave hints of jasmine and cinnamon throughout the house.
Make these next couple days instant memories that will melt into tradition. Christmas of 2023 will eventually be a Christmas from the twenties. We will all be a part of that memory and missed by younger loved ones. Just like we miss those who filled Christmas past and left behind their cookie recipe and nativity scene.
My great grandchildren will cringe when they hear one of Great Grampa Jumbo’s favorite Christmas songs, “Fairytale of New York” and Kirsty MacColl sings, “You scumbag, you maggot, You cheap lousy faggot!”
How did they get away with stuff like that in the twentieth century?
I won’t be able to put the smile on your sun today, but I hope your star shines bright and your nog is spiked just right.
Happy Eve of the Eve!
Festivus for the rest of us!
Let the wild rump start!
