Ah, holiday decorating...a gathering of the family working together to show that old spirit. The smell of cookies baking, those feelings of nostalgia as each ornament is brought out, holiday music and the like.
I do remember those days when I was a kid. My parents made an effort to provide that type of atmosphere as stated above, and they did a pretty good job for the most part.
As I try to mimic that effect upon my family, I realize...it is NOTHING of the sort. I believe a new tradition has taken place as I am now the matriarch of this particular family unit, which includes myself, a 15 year-old drama queen and her boyfriend, four cats that won't stay out of the way, and the ex upstairs who chooses not to participate in any festivities whatsoever.
To compare now from then, there are some significant changes that have taken place since my childhood experiences of those 'memorable' holiday moments:
THEN: My parents, my siblings and I would go to a live tree lot and pick out that "one special tree" together. Some years we would even go to the mountains and chop it down ourselves.
NOW: I walk into an arachnid-infested outdoor storage unit and pull out a bin which contains my artificial tree, separate branches which are numbered and have to be placed on the 'trunk' in a specific order. I don't really regret having an artificial tree for many reasons...one of which I can't stand it when it comes down, then disgarding it after its untimely death (in other words, I feel sorry for it).
THEN: There was always holiday music in the background.
NOW: I tell the kids, "turn off the TV and turn on some holiday music". Holiday music these days is...I guess...one of Comcast's metal music stations. I am currently listening to a song called, "Love is a bitchslap"...those sugar plums are really dancing in my head now!
THEN: Dad would secure the tree, and we'd get out the ornaments and start carefully placing them on the tree.
NOW: The branches are numbered and are different sizes. My daughter is screaming at her boyfriend, "NO! We're on number 7, DICK! (His name is Andy) MOM! WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH BRANCHES!" She asks me, "can we have some people over?" I yell, "NO! Look at this place! There's crap everywhere! NO!" 30 minutes later (tree not done, crap still everywhere), she asks me again. "NO! We're not done! We don't have anything to make cookies with!" "SO??" "NO! WE CAN'T HAVE PEOPLE OVER WITHOUT COOKIES!" Meanwhile, Andy whacks himself with one of those branches in the eye while trying to fit it in the 'trunk'. Oh, and my child is basically sitting on her ass and shouting orders at her boyfriend. I'm sitting here writing this blog, because if I start helping, they will BOTH sit on their asses.
THEN: My sister and I would watch a holiday special.
NOW: Kristina and Andy want me to watch something called "High Tension" with them...a badly made French horror movie.
So new traditions are beginning take hold and pass down to the grandchildren (which I hope TO GOD that is far off)...
From all of us to all of you...A very dysfunctional holiday season!
Stacy
Please thank Stacy for letting me post this ramble. I'll have to stalk her blog and perhaps she'll share more in the future.
Tamara
- BtVS
- Chapter 37 of Second Chances by rebelrsr (BuffynFaith.Net).
- Chapter 15 of A Million Chances by Bobbi (BuffynFaith.Net).
Comics - 12/12/07 of Jane's World by Paige Braddock (Comics.com).
Voyager - The Water Witch by Patricia L. Givens (Perfection).
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