Today is Christmas. I'm sad today. It's just the four of us this year, not the first time we've spent the holiday with just our children. We enjoy watching them open their gifts enormously.
This morning, Zoe screamed with excitement and joy at the things Santa left in her stocking. She got more and more excited until she had to be told to take a nap. Even then, she had to be held down until she fell asleep. Will melted down pretty early but was much better after a rest.
As I do every year, I made french toast and bacon for breakfast and now the kids are going to be able to play to their hearts' content for the rest of the day. They'll have to be inside because it's 42 degrees outside. With windchill it feels like 35. But there are new things to play with and they'll be happy until it's time to watch America's Funniest Home Videos at 6.
I get sad on the Christmases we spend without family. I get homesick and miss my family and my friends in Cali. I worry that the low-key, mellow nature of our small celebration isn't making memories for my kids. I feel like I'm denying them something without the big gathering or massive piles of gifts. We have our small traditions. I just have to hope that they'll remember them fondly.
Maybe I need a nap too.
Sometimes, you have to give life some lipstick and tell it to kiss your ass.
1 comment:
You might like to know that the tradition in Germany (just found this out) is.....Mom, Dad, unmarried children on Christmas Eve ONLY (they made an exception for us :-) No boyfriends/girlfriends aunts uncles cousins.,.nope! And when you are a young married couple, you stay home...just the two of you on Christmas Eve. Christmas Eve is the package opening day there so that is how they run it. 25th others may attend 26 OK....but otherwise just what you are having!
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