(Pretend it's still Christmas Eve. :] )
Today I am an only child. Today I am an only cousin. I’m in
no concerts this year, no services, no big family gatherings, and presents won’t
be opened this evening.
My biggest decision of the day was whether to watch Spy Kids
or stay festive with The Santa Clause and recite every line.
Traditions shift. A few years ago I feel like this would
have massively thrown me off. But that’s what you get for being the youngest by
far, right?
I remember the first year traditions started to change. I
was 13, in 8th grade, and we spent Christmas in China. China was our
present, so there weren’t really any gifts to open, Christmas Eve was in an
apartment, and Christmas Day was with thousands cramped in one of the only
legal churches. The service came with a two hour Chinese sermon and Santa on
the altar.
From there, traditions just… shifted. Presents moved from Christmas
Eve to Christmas Day. Siblings had
their spouse’s families to attend and we didn’t always leave for Memphis the
week after.
Then, two years ago were in Memphis for my grandpa’s
funeral. Christmas Eve was in an assisted living chapel and Christmas Day was
spent in an airport. I think
people watching in airports on Christmas Day is the most interesting type of
people watching I have ever encountered.
But. This isn’t meant to be a sad post. It’s a… hmm… growing
up sure is a weird thing post.
Anyway, there are still peanut butter balls in the
refrigerator, so all is well.
How have your traditions changed since you were a kid? Have
they?
Merry Christmas, dears. :]
Mine are almost exactly the same as always. My siblings aren't married yet, so we all come to my parents for Christmas. We go to my Grandma's on Christmas Eve for celebration with my mom's side of the family, open presents with each other on Christmas morning, and do stuff with my dad's side of the family at some other point between Dec. 20 and Jan. 10. We also go out for Chinese food every Dec. 23. I don't want things to ever change. Growing up freaks me out.
ReplyDeleteOh my gosh, Chinese every 23rd sounds like a fantastic tradition.
DeleteOkay, two things: one, China sounds awesome and I'm so jealous, two, peanut butter balls sound awesome as well and I'm not sure what they are, but I really want one.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was a kid, we'd go to my grandma's house for Christmas Eve, that whole side of the family, but she moved when I was 12 and family drama stuff happened, so now we don't do anything for Christmas Eve, or really Christmas either, besides church and presents.
I definitely get that. I'm the youngest in my immediate family. The past few years is when our traditions have really started to shift. We had a funeral the week before Christmas this year and my sister wasn't home to celebrate Christmas with us. It's not bad, just different. If anything it makes the holiday a little more important cause we're all thinking about each other at the same time, even if we're not together.And it certainly reminds us of what we're really celebrating.
ReplyDelete