Christmas. But not for the reason that it used to make me happy. When I was a kid, and even well into my adult years, I was super excited on Christmas Eve and had trouble sleeping that night because of the anticipation of waking up in the morning and opening presents. This always made me happy. To be fair, it still does. However, sitting in my backyard yesterday evening, it was more than the thought of presents that was making me happy.
It wasn’t as cold yesterday. At the time I was sitting out back with my feet propped up, and there was no wind to cut through my coat and make me feel colder than the air really was. Our two dogs were “whiling out” as a lady at work would say. A week and a half ago we adopted a second dog in an attempt to provide a friend for our girl dog who so desperately wants to be friends with anybody and everybody who comes to the door, walks by on the street, or in general, exists outside of our house. So we adopted a boy around the same age as her and after only a week and a half, they are best friends. I don’t think our little girl would have taken no for an answer. Our new boy has settled in like he’s been here the whole time. The fenced-in backyard is the place where they can be wild and play as fiercely as they want. The fact that they are such buddies now made me happy.
With them running their race-track path around the yard, I reflected on Christmas Eve this year. While I’m not a teacher or principal anymore, I do still work in a school so I get about a week and a half off for the holiday. I don’t dread going back the day after New Year’s Day. I am not counting the days of break left out of desperation of holding onto as much of this free time as I can. Work doesn’t give me anxiety like that anymore. In fact, there was something my supervisor suggested I do before we left for the break and I forgot to do it. But I’m not anxious about it. It wasn’t something that can’t be handled when I get back.
I then looked ahead to the rest of the evening and the next day (Christmas). I would be watching 24-hours of “A Christmas Story” while I wrapped my husband’s presents. That movie is a staple of my childhood. I don’t recall when TBS started doing the 24-hour marathon on Christmas Eve, but I remember it going back at least as far as my years in high school in the late 90s. The movie now has a different meaning for me than it did back then. It is more a journey of nostalgia watching it, both for the Christmas morning scene at the end and just the fact that I have watched this movie every year for at least 30 years. It’s a comfortable and familiar feeling watching it and I was very much looking forward to it last night.
Then I thought about Christmas Day with my husband. Since his mom passed in 2021, it has been just him and I for Christmas. Prior to that, it was the two of us and her. Sometimes it feels funny to tell people that it’s just going to be the two of us for Thanksgiving or Christmas. I feel like people balk at the idea of spending such a major holiday without the company of a large family gathering. And sometimes I do wish we had people over, especially for Thanksgiving. But since it’s been the two of us, I really treasure these holidays together. Our Christmas Day tradition is getting up early and opening our presents to each other. We then eat breakfast. His mom used to make a breakfast casserole for brunch when we would come over and my husband has replicated it ever since. Dinner is usually a prime rib roast. But it’s not so much what we eat. Maybe the breakfast is because his mom started that tradition and we do our best to keep her memory alive. However, it’s the setting of the dinner that is so special. With a freshly ironed tablecloth, cloth napkins, candles lit, the tree lit in the next room, Christmas music playing…it’s just a very beautiful scene.
I was looking forward to all of this last night as I sat outside with my feet propped up. Thinking about the presents I had gotten for my husband, one in particular that I was very excited for him to see. The meal we would share together, and really, just the holiday in general. We’d share it with our new dog who doesn’t have to spend the holiday a single day more in the shelter because he’s home with us making our original dog so incredible happy. And it made me happy. Truly happy.
Merry Christmas to all those who celebrate!
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