聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 Well鈥� I鈥檝e told multiple people that I am the Grinch over the last couple of weeks鈥� and it鈥檚 not really true.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Personally, I鈥檓 not a huge Christmas music fan, so I get to be the Grinch as I groan over listening to it. There are some alright tunes out there, but I鈥檇 rather listen to them Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, not for three weeks before Christmas.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 I actually love Christmas, it鈥檚 a time for family across the board, whether you celebrate Christmas or not, it鈥檚 nice to have time to spend with your loved ones. I know it shouldn鈥檛 be difficult to do, but I have a very tough time scheduling in a visit home, throughout most of the year鈥� my job isn鈥檛 the usual 9-5, Monday to Friday deal; so, I might work a night here or a weekend there and things come up last minute sometimes.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The Christmas holiday, however, is a little bit different because it鈥檚 expected that you go home to be with family鈥� it鈥檚 a societal norm in that everyone asks 鈥淒o you get to go home for Christmas?鈥� or 鈥淲hen do you leave for home?鈥� 鈥� simply assuming you are.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Christmas has always been a special time, Granny used to have her apartment decorated to the nines. She would cook the big Christmas dinner complete with shrimp aspic salad, 24-hour salad, turkey, stuffing, gravy, mashed potatoes, fresh veggies, homemade buns, and 鈥� the ultimate special occasion food - lefse.聽
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 A couple of years ago, at the end of November, Granny passed away. It was a lovely service, and being close to Christmas it was almost perfect鈥� the Church was decorated with large poinsettias, things she liked to do like cross stitch and knitting was on display, a couple of pictures, and a dancing Santa Claus she had loved.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 When you clicked the button Santa would dance to the beat, he鈥檇 then do a 180 degree turn, and start twerking, which Granny would howl with laughter at. So, as the family exited the Church at the end, my sister 鈥� after unsuccessfully trying to convince my little cousin to go push the button 鈥� stepped forward and pushed the dancing Santa. Laughter rang through the Church and although it was sad thinking you were saying goodbye to someone, it was quite lovely knowing that Granny鈥檚 life was filled with laughter and that this little Santa Claus which brought her joy had just made a rather somber crew all burst out in laughter. Especially in those that knew her well because you could almost hear her say, 鈥淥h鈥� Jaclyn,鈥� in that way she did when she thought what you did was funny, but should probably scold you.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Christmas was always two-fold for us because it is all about family; so, Christmas Day was spent with Granny and my dad鈥檚 family; while Christmas Eve was quite special as well with my mom鈥檚 family. Oma too always has her place decorated beautifully.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Christmas Eve was always a meal of appetizers including delicious Dutch treats like spekkulas (delicious gingerbread cookies) and kroketten (croquettes 鈥� a deepfried, breaded meatball), although that description of croquettes doesn鈥檛 do them justice at all. They are delicious.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Food brings people together, and as you sit, eating, you visit and simply enjoy each others鈥� company. We do gifts, but rather enjoy just being around the family I don鈥檛 get to see often: we eat and visit, and it鈥檚 something I look forward to every year.
