Fa la la la laaaaaaaaaaaa
Christmas time is here once again, it just feels a wee bit off this season.
Granted, I've gotten my shopping done late before, but...
WIth all the SNOW it's a bit unnerving.
Don't get me wrong, I love snow, but... When there's two feet of it between you and your goal, you can't help by shake your fist at it and curse its name.
But really, I'm sure it'll all turn out fine...
But, I digress..
Christmas Eve/Day is usually pretty similar each year... Outside of the past couple where my brothers couldn't be over on Christmas Eve due to work and such, but...
It's always a time I can't sleep.. No matter what I'm expecting. Which because of I've gotten in the habbit of staying up later-ish.. Which does not effect my ability to wake up at 5-6am on that day, believe me... Usually, after that, I get up and go out to look at our Tree... We get gifts from Santa overnight so it's always fun to see the stockings filled up and a huge jumble of presents all over that weren't there the night before. The presents from Santa are usually just Small Trinkets, toys and such. Often Toothpaste and Mouth wash are in the mix for everyone in them... But it's always fun nevertheless. (And yes, you silly people, I know it's my mom putting those things in, but lets not kill part of the fun of Christmas now).
In the past I'd run up stairs (or down) and wake up my brothers going, "it's time to get up! It's time to get up!" Or they'd wake me up and I'd immediately launch out of bed... Often I feel a bit nauseous in the morning due to the fact that even if I didn't stay up on the computer... I probably only got 2-4 hours of sleep.
We'd then wonder if we should get our parents up... Sometimes we did, sometimes we didn't. When we were younger, we always did, running up and yelling "SANTA CAME! SANTA CAME! IT'S CHRISTMAS MORNING!", but when we got older we thought it'd be better to let them get up on their own... Which, in reality, they'd rather have us run upstairs and get them. >>;
After that, they make Coffee and Cocoa, everyone fights for the spot by the Fireplace and gets their cameras out... After taking pictures of the Tree and everyone next to it, we then find our spots, full of anticipation, and usually my mom's the one who hands them out in the order she finds right...
After opening Presents, then everyone sort of looks through what they got and decides what they want to occupy their time with while Breakfast is cooked (though, I'm usually still fairly nauseous, so I never eat a lot).
We then spend the rest of the day doing whatever...
Sometimes some friends will come over to spend the day with us, snacking on food set out and usually staying for Dinner (which my dad also prepares) and just all around enjoying the time spent together on a cold winter day...
All in all... It's usually a fun day...
There's not much longer until Christmases like that will fade though... My brothers still live nearby, but I often wonder how long until any of us move on to be farther from home... And wonder when the years will be where they'd rather spend Christmas at their own home rather than all gather up back here.
I also wonder where I'll be eventually, and when those days will come for me...
Really, I'm not scared of those days... I love spending Christmas like we do, but I know it'll come to an end eventually, as my dad always says he himself is greatful that we have been able to all be together so often.
I hope everyone else out there has a Merry Christmas this year, despite economical issues. It really isn't about the Presents, even if a lot of the Anticipation comes from them (and as cliche as that line is)...
I just hope everyone out there can be surrounded by family and people they love for that day... And if not, at least remember them and keep them in their hearts.
Granted, I've gotten my shopping done late before, but...
WIth all the SNOW it's a bit unnerving.
Don't get me wrong, I love snow, but... When there's two feet of it between you and your goal, you can't help by shake your fist at it and curse its name.
But really, I'm sure it'll all turn out fine...
But, I digress..
Christmas Eve/Day is usually pretty similar each year... Outside of the past couple where my brothers couldn't be over on Christmas Eve due to work and such, but...
It's always a time I can't sleep.. No matter what I'm expecting. Which because of I've gotten in the habbit of staying up later-ish.. Which does not effect my ability to wake up at 5-6am on that day, believe me... Usually, after that, I get up and go out to look at our Tree... We get gifts from Santa overnight so it's always fun to see the stockings filled up and a huge jumble of presents all over that weren't there the night before. The presents from Santa are usually just Small Trinkets, toys and such. Often Toothpaste and Mouth wash are in the mix for everyone in them... But it's always fun nevertheless. (And yes, you silly people, I know it's my mom putting those things in, but lets not kill part of the fun of Christmas now).
In the past I'd run up stairs (or down) and wake up my brothers going, "it's time to get up! It's time to get up!" Or they'd wake me up and I'd immediately launch out of bed... Often I feel a bit nauseous in the morning due to the fact that even if I didn't stay up on the computer... I probably only got 2-4 hours of sleep.
We'd then wonder if we should get our parents up... Sometimes we did, sometimes we didn't. When we were younger, we always did, running up and yelling "SANTA CAME! SANTA CAME! IT'S CHRISTMAS MORNING!", but when we got older we thought it'd be better to let them get up on their own... Which, in reality, they'd rather have us run upstairs and get them. >>;
After that, they make Coffee and Cocoa, everyone fights for the spot by the Fireplace and gets their cameras out... After taking pictures of the Tree and everyone next to it, we then find our spots, full of anticipation, and usually my mom's the one who hands them out in the order she finds right...
After opening Presents, then everyone sort of looks through what they got and decides what they want to occupy their time with while Breakfast is cooked (though, I'm usually still fairly nauseous, so I never eat a lot).
We then spend the rest of the day doing whatever...
Sometimes some friends will come over to spend the day with us, snacking on food set out and usually staying for Dinner (which my dad also prepares) and just all around enjoying the time spent together on a cold winter day...
All in all... It's usually a fun day...
There's not much longer until Christmases like that will fade though... My brothers still live nearby, but I often wonder how long until any of us move on to be farther from home... And wonder when the years will be where they'd rather spend Christmas at their own home rather than all gather up back here.
I also wonder where I'll be eventually, and when those days will come for me...
Really, I'm not scared of those days... I love spending Christmas like we do, but I know it'll come to an end eventually, as my dad always says he himself is greatful that we have been able to all be together so often.
I hope everyone else out there has a Merry Christmas this year, despite economical issues. It really isn't about the Presents, even if a lot of the Anticipation comes from them (and as cliche as that line is)...
I just hope everyone out there can be surrounded by family and people they love for that day... And if not, at least remember them and keep them in their hearts.