My First Christmas
No really, this Christmas was the first with my family. Different families have been kind enough, over the years, to welcome me into their homes for their Christmas, which was/is very magnanimous of them. This, however, was my first Christmas with my family. More specifically, my eldest brother (Nat), sister-in-law, mom, dad, aunt, uncle, grandpa, and great aunt. For a first Christmas and one in which communication was optional and minimal, it went off without a hitch. Everyone had different ideas of what was happening and what their role was, but everything fit together perfectly. My mother and I went a little over-board with presents.
No one said Merry Christmas, which makes total sense actually. My grandfather and his sister are atheists to the extreme. My aunt and uncle are atheists, but still have respect for those with spiritual inclinations. My father and brother couldn't care less, my mother's into quantum physics as a path, and me... *shrug* buddhist/pagan/agnostic? My mother had made it a point to say that she's more into the idea of celebrating Yule than Christmas, so we all erred on the side of caution and didn't say Merry Christmas or Happy Yule in seriousness. The food was amazing, the decorations was red and green, the tree was small and decorated with stars and little wooden birds, mostly red robins. I really like the Scandinavian habit of decorating with tiny wooden carvings etc around the holidays.
Everyone seemed very pleased with the presents. I gave my grandfather a Post-Secret book which he seemed enthralled with. I gave my mother a book on Pagan holidays, rituals, sabbits and so forth. I was unsure if she would be excited or offended by this (after two decades of being a Jehovah's Witness I wasn't sure how far she could be pushed...) I'm very pleased to say that she loved it. Of all the awful things I've said about my mother (especially of late), I love her for always being interested in new things and always being curious about other people's values and thoughts. Many middle-aged people stagnate and get set in their ways. I think I'm more set in my ways than my mother is. :)
I really felt that yesterday was going to be weird and awkward and difficult to get through, but that it was a necessary evil in order to establish a new family gathering. It wasn't though. It was smooth and fun and everyone enjoyed themselves. Plus, I have left-overs in my fridge. :) We all promised to come back again next year for our non-christmas, more like yule but on christmas, christmas. Honestly, I can't wait. I haven't seen that much of my family in one room since my brother was married. Speaking of my other brother (Jon), Christmas is a secret from him. Since he's still a Witness we're keeping all of this a secret from him. I don't really want to, but my mother's more comfortable that way. That being said, my brother is certainly the most disturbed of all of us, and his family is a terror, so perhaps it's better this way, with everyone getting along.
I've spent the last three Christmases with Alyssa and her family. I've been sick for most of them, but I was healthy this year! Her family spoils me and treats me as their own, which is wonderful of them. They never make me feel awkward or misplaced. My oddness fits in perfectly with theirs and I'm going to continue to do Christmas with them as long as I am welcome, no matter what my family is doing. That being said, it was very magical to actually be with my own family. To know that my oddness is not only accepting by the people surrounding me, but is probably a direct result of them. It's an amazing feeling and I know I'm getting all sentimental and stuff, but you have to understand, I'm 25 and I just had my first family Christmas. I feel like I have a family again. I feel like a kid again.