Some years it feels like doing the same holiday traditions over and over we is just going through the motions. Other years, the familiarity of those annual traditions provides comfort. That was the case this year for me. Our traditional events include baking Christmas cookies for Santa a few days before Christmas, having family over for snacks on Christmas Eve, having my dad over to open gifts and cook waffles on Christmas morning, and going over to my mom’s for lunch on Christmas Day. We did all of those things this year and none of them felt like an obligation. Each gathering was enjoyable.
A couple of days before Christmas Eve, Susan’s mom, sister, neice, and her son Flynn came over to make cookies. I enjoy this tradition because I don’t bake the cookies or decorate the cookies, but somehow I am allowed to eat them. It’s the best!
A few days later on Christmas Eve our family came over for snacks. Susan made her first charcuterie board which I believe is a fancy term for “cheese and meat served on wood.” I don’t care what you call it, it was delicious! There were plenty of snacks and good conversation to go around.
After a few hours, everyone left and we settled into bed, waiting for Santa to come.
We’ve been having eggs, bacon, and waffles made by the same waffle iron every Christmas morning for just about as long as I can remember (except for the year we lost the waffle iron in a move!). This year was no exception and after opening gifts Susan began making breakfast and discovered the old waffle iron would not turn on. We were still able to have waffles using the replacement waffle iron we bought the year the old one went missing, and I’m deciding what I’m going to do with the old one. (I’m thinking about framing it.)
If there is one thing I will remember about this year’s gifts it’s how thoughtful and useful they all were. My inlaws all got me things for my van, my dad got me a tool I needed, and my mom got me some liquor which, after the holidays, I also need. Susan surprised me with several gifts, some I had mentioned and some I didn’t know I needed until I opened them. All the things I gifted Susan were things I gifted Susan were things I thought she would use and enjoy. Well, maybe not the Singing Pickle, but everything else.
It was also great to have the kids around the house for a couple of days. It is so quiet around here with them gone and having them back really changes the whole vibe of the house, especially around the holidays.
At the end of Christmas, Susan and I went to bed sometime around 10 p.m., a little early for Susan and really early for me. I’m off work the entire week so I’m looking forward to digging into some of my gifts, doing some deep cleaning, and recharging my batteries.
I hope everyone had a safe and enjoyable holiday weekend. Merry Christmas to everyone, even these dumb cats.
